It almost always boils down to ice and ice availability. Those associations with access to their own facilities (NWW is a good example) are loath to change as they fear losing access to their ice. Those associations with very little ice of their own (Bow River is a good example of an association with almost no ice of their own and rely hugely on the City pool) always seem keen on expansion as there is always the impression there will be access to more ice. Both groups are wrong in my opinion.
Keep in mind when they do make any changes typically (not always) older kids are grandfathered and families may be given the choice to keep those kids where they are or move them. Younger kids (PW and younger in my experience) are the ones who will be moved. So the argument that you will split up kids who have played with each other for years and years is really not valid wither in my opinion.
Realignment is an emotional issue for almost everyone involved. Unfortunately with the way it works (Hockey Calgary needing to keep things tight hole) it also lends itself to all kinds of rumors and speculation which does not help.
We went through two of these in during my kids time in minor hockey and managed to survive. It's ironic to hear some of the comments about NWW and how kids will be split up after all these years together. The association is only 8 years old or something like that, it didn't even exist when my kids started playing. The original two associations before the merger (Westwood and Crowchild) also made the same arguments then as they are making now.
Honestly at the end of the day it isn't going to make a huge difference.
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