May 10, 2017
Last night on May 9th, Portage College was informed that the City of Cold Lake accepted the proposal to become a business partner with the Voyageurs Hockey team in Cold Lake for the next three years.
This announcement came in only a few hours after Lac La Biche County apparently had reconsidered the initial offer to keep the hockey team in Lac La Biche.
Lac La Biche County informed the College of the reversal on May 9th at 5:49pm, which was publicly announced via Lac La Biche County social media at 6:54pm. City of Cold Lake informed the College of the acceptance of the partnership on May 9th at 9:41pm.
Dr. Trent Keough, President & CEO of Portage College says, "We were in formal negotiations with the City of Cold Lake at the time of Lac La Biche County's reversal, and we had no knowledge of the county's renewed interest. We will honour the agreement with the City of Cold Lake. It is a business decision, not a political one."
The initial business proposal to the Lac La Biche County was not accepted and the College had to look elsewhere, or face the possibility in shutting down the team.
More details on the move and adjustments within the college will be announced.
Update May 10th 1:22 pm: Click Here for City of Cold Lake Media Release
We acknowledge that Portage College’s service region is on the traditional lands of First Nation Peoples, the owners of Treaty 6, 8 and 10, which are also homelands to the Métis people. We honour the history and culture of all people who first lived and gathered in these lands.