History and Past Presidents (Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association)

The 2024-25 Hockey Season marks the 34th Anniversary of Prince Edward County Minor Hockey. Established 1990

A SHORT HISTORY

PECMHA was Formed Out of Two Proud Community Hockey Organizations

About Picton

The Picton Minor Hockey Association was playing hockey long before it was legally registered as an Association.  They played out of two rinks before the current rink was built in 1984.  The original was on Ontario Street and was called Hares Arena and it was natural ice.  The ‘new’ arena was opened in 1958 and that is where minor hockey flourished.  Though the youngest category offered was PeeWee (8-12 year olds).  That arena burned down in 1982 and for 1½ seasons the Picton kids played in Wellington.

About Wellington  

The Wellington Minor Hockey Association evolved over a period of time.  The community was a very strong supporter of their hockey and their hockey players.  There were many OMHA Finalist and Championship teams through the 1960’s and 1970’s.   The original rink was built in 1932. 

The two Associations had less than 350 active players by the late 1980’s.  Picton was a larger centre (classified as a B Centre; while Wellington was a D Centre) and thus had proportionately larger numbers.  The towns were hockey rivals, but the House League teams were already playing inter-community with Wellington often providing one or two teams, and Picton with two or three teams.

Discussions began in the late 1980's about bringing together the Wellington and the Picton organizations to form one stronger organization.  The merge happened in 1990-1991 season and the organization, now called the Prince Edward County Minor Hockey Association was formed.  Three years later the number of players grew to above 550 with some divisions icing three representative teams and up to nine house league teams.

Special thanks to those who contributed to the history.  Lavender Family; Gary Parks, Ron Norton and others.  

PAST PRESIDENTS