Peachtree City Council Split on hockey facility use as Johnson, Brown lead debate

Peachtree City’s council chambers were filled with young athletes and parents Thursday night as leaders debated whether to grant rink access to a new hockey organization, the Fayette Hockey Club. What emerged was a spirited exchange led by two councilwomen who framed the issue in starkly different ways.

Johnson warns of division

Councilwoman Laura Johnson argued strongly against allowing a second association to share the Kedron rink, warning it would splinter the community’s long-standing hockey program.

“This is a splinter group,” Johnson said, pointing out that 100% of the Fayette Hockey players came from the existing Peachtree City Hockey Association. She described the proposal as potentially devastating to local recreational programs. “If we accommodate every time we have a dispute in some little league organization, it would be so devastating to all of our recreational programs, and we can’t do that.”

Johnson emphasized that she had spoken with players, parents, and advisory board members to understand the issue. She credited the Recreation Advisory Group for its unanimous recommendation against granting a facility use agreement to Fayette Hockey, saying their perspective underscored how damaging two competing organizations could be.

Brown stresses fairness for kids

Councilwoman Suzanne Brown took the opposite view. She framed the debate as one of fairness to children who wanted to play at a higher level.

“A vote against approving this would be a vote against the children who would be participating,” Brown said. She noted that the new club had complied with all requirements and argued that withholding practice time amounted to exclusion. “We need to let the two of them survive and then eventually see what happens,” she added.

Brown acknowledged the ongoing conflict between the two groups but argued it was not the city’s role to enforce cooperation. “What I hear is that these two groups have not been getting along, and if we vote to force them to get along, they’re not necessarily going to. Who’s going to suffer? The children,” she said.

Community voices, divided passions

Parents, coaches, and children lined up early in the 4 hour council meeting to speak on both sides. Longtime volunteers with the Peachtree City Hockey Association described decades of history and warned against undermining a program that had built consistency and trust. Others, including parents backing Fayette Hockey, stressed that the new club simply wanted a few hours a week to practice and compete at a higher skill level.

The Recreation Advisory Group’s recommendation loomed large in the discussion. Chair Erin McDowell told council members that splitting rink access would “undermine established partnerships, create scheduling conflicts, and open the door to unnecessary disputes.”

Council’s split vote results in no

In the end, with Brown and Holland voting for Fayette Hockey’s access to rec facilities, and Mayor Learnard and Johnson voting against, the motion did not carry. The result preserved exclusive access for the Peachtree City Hockey Association, which already fields both recreational and travel teams.

A test of priorities

The debate over hockey struck a deeper chord about how the city manages scarce recreational resources. For Johnson, unity and stability within local leagues were paramount. For Brown, access and opportunity for all children carried the most weight.

Mayor Kim Learnard acknowledged the passion in the room, noting that hockey families had “taken over my life the last couple weeks” with their advocacy.

While the council’s decision closed the door on a second hockey organization for now, the night underscored that hockey in Peachtree City is more than just a sport. It is a community identity, one now tested by questions of growth, fairness, and how best to serve young athletes eager to play.