Darrell Davis: Hockey, not in Nepean

Imagine telling your Canadian neighbours that their outdoor hockey rink is an eyesore and it should be taken down.

That happened in Nepean, Ontario, a suburb of Ottawa. The rink sits in the family’s front yard, bordered partly by the house and extending onto city property. The mini-rink has been flooded and surrounded by short boards for the past five winters, with new boards being used this year in an effort to make it look nicer.

Five weeks ago a neighbour complained to the City of Ottawa, claiming the rink particularly became an eyesore as it melted in springtime, when nobody was using it. But right now it’s a popular place; even more popular since the media has jumped on the story and enraged almost the entire country.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has vowed to look into the issue because Canada is a hockey country. And judging by the reaction on social media, lots of Canadians are angry at the unpatriotic neighbour. In this day and age, when it’s nearly impossible to spot kids outside skating and playing hockey, it’s not right to take away a reason for them to leave their video games and get some exercise.