‘A dedicated spot’: Prince Albert elite female hockey team may soon get its own dressing room

Photo L-R:  Northern Bears Layah Mitchell, Jana Simonson, Adyson Wallin  (Jasmine Pelletier / CTV News)

An elite under-18 girls’ hockey team in Prince Albert may finally be getting its own dressing room after years of waiting.

Although the team has been active for 20 years, the Prince Albert AAA U18 Northern Bears says it is the only team in the league without a designated dressing room.

“For billeted players, it’s like, not ideal for them to be carrying their stuff from their billet homes to the rink because they might not have a dedicated spot at their home,” explained Northern Bears forward Adyson Wallin.

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On Monday afternoon the Northern Bears made a pitch to city council for the team to move from Art Hauser Centre to the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre where the girls could have a space to call their own.

Northern Bears Board Member Al Dyer presented the request to the city.

“This is an interim, and although we would have a dedicated space, it likely isn’t sufficient for long term use,” said Dyer. “But, certainly would be better than what we have now, which is nothing.”

For years the Bears have been slated to have a permanent dressing room at the proposed event centre designed to be built next to the Lake Country Co-Op Leisure Centre, but there is no set timeline for the project’s completion.

A small group of Northern Bears attended the meeting with city council.

“We’re all rookies,” said player Jana Simonson about the group of attendees. “We go a whole year with not like, having a room… we have to get out of our room because I think it’s the Raiders away dressing room that we use.”

Council was in unanimous support of the idea to move the team to the leisure centre.

Councillor Tony Head voiced his personal support, adding that he has a high opinion of Prince Albert’s female hockey programs.

“I’ve had billets in my home for the Bears and the Foxes,” said Head. “They come from neighboring provinces because of the program that’s been created here in Prince Albert ... I can’t wait to watch the 2026-27 year in the new facility, watching the Bears play.”

City administration said it will work with the Bears so the team is able to move to a new home at the leisure centre for the 2026-27 season.

“I think it’s so good for our team and our organization,” said player Layah Mitchell about the city’s decision.

“It’ll help probably, like, recruit some girls too … if you’re an out of towner and, like, looking and they’re like, ‘oh, they don’t have a dressing room’… it’s kind of like a downfall for our team, but I think that’ll, like, really help our team out for sure.”

A formal agreement will be presented at the July council meeting, but scheduling and planning will be underway in the next few weeks.