A family in Cornwall, Ont., has been ordered by the city to dismantle a private hockey rink that had become a popular gathering point for kids in the community.

All winter, the 50-by-30-foot ice rink on the front lawn of the Vincent family home was crowded with kids playing hockey.

But a city bylaw requires all outdoor rinks and similar structures to be built at least 20 feet from the road. Since part of the rink’s wooden boarder is on city property, the popular gathering point will have to be dismantled.

“As soon as we remove the boards and the tarp, after a few mild days the rink will just wash away,” Laura Vincent told CTV Ottawa.

Trevor Wotherspoon, a friend of the family who coaches hockey at the rink, said the structure isn’t doing the city any harm.

“Sometimes the bylaw is there for a good reason,” he said. “Sometimes, maybe you’ve got to work around it and use common sense. This is hurting nobody.”

But not everyone in the neighbourhood agrees.

The controversy started after neighbours complained that the rink didn’t look good.

“I’m in between,” said one neighbour. “This is wonderful for everybody to have a good time, but this is the city and they’re breaking bylaws. It’s too bad that this has had to happen amongst neighbours”

Once it was brought to the attention of the city, the Vincent family was given until Jan. 5, to take the rink down.

Cornwall mayor Leslie O'Shaughnessy and Coun. David Murphy visited the Vincents to give them the news

With a report by CTV Ottawa