A proposal to bring a junior hockey team back to Quesnel now has the blessing of the local politicians.
The North Cariboo Joint Advisory Committee unanimously endorsed an application for a KIJHL team at a special meeting on Tuesday (Feb 13) night.
The decision was made in front of a Council Chambers full of hockey fans.
Tracy Mero, the proponent behind the junior team, said that they had worked out an agreement with the Quesnel Kangaroos senior hockey team that will allow both clubs to flourish.
“Revenue sharing from advertising around the arena with the new projections and the Roos will be guaranteed 75 K a year, agreement to fund raise together on multiple ideas brought forward but not limited to the juniors versus the Roos hockey game, a joint hockey school with the potential of two in a season, joint pub night, raffles. The main point being of course that we are here working together in full conjunction with the Quesnel Kangaroos so that both teams will survive.’
That was the sticking point in a proposal from a different group trying to bring a junior team to Quesnel back in January that was rejected.
Mero and Waylon L’Heureux, with the Quesnel Kangaroos, made a joint presentation to the committee in a show of support.
In a moment of levity, the two went up to speak holding hands.
Mero has a son that plays on the Kangaroos.
He indicated that he had a deal in place to purchase a team, but added that a move to Quesnel would still have to be approved by the KIJHL.
Mero says a decision would likely be made in March.
