No one wants to think about winter just yet but given the success of a pilot project to create an outdoor skating rink at Lions Lookout last winter, it will be extended for the 2022-2023 season.
At its June 29 general committee meeting, council asked staff to also investigate the cost of getting electricity to the area and the possibility of heating the building at the Lookout in order to provide a warming area.
Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano also asked staff to investigate the possibility of dividing the rink so that those playing hockey would not interfere with families and individuals skating on the other side.
Committee also approved about $7,700 in additional operational costs to be funded from the Town’s portion of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) and forward the remaining operational costs of $16,000, also from the MAT, for next winter. Committee also approved an additional $15,000, also to be funded through the MAT, for the purchase of an ice surface flooding attachment for a tractor, which will be replaced ahead of schedule – in 2022 instead of the projected 2025 – at a cost of about $75,000 to be funded from the Town’s capital reserve in the 2022 budget.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
Staff is also expected to bring forward recommendations to consider a permanent outdoor skating surface in the future.
The Town is using taxes collected from Short Term Rental Accommodations to fund improvements in town like this ice rink for the pleasure of all. But the tax money comes from ghost hotels on lakes like ours, very small and landlocked. It isn’t enough that because we live on a lake we pay higher taxes. It isn’t enough that we are not hooked into town sewer and water lines, that we do not get door to door garbage pickup, nor that we must maintain our own roads year round including snow removal.
Still not enough. Now the Town has discovered a new way to stick it to us. STRA’s. Four have been licensed on our tiny lake and another is on their desk awaiting approval. The proliferation of ghost hotels on our lake is destroying the fabric of our close community for do many reasons.
And the final jab…..the taxes they collect from the rentals are funding projects for the enjoyment of the entire community, whilst our small community is being invaded by strangers with partying in mind. Unconscionable. These improvements are, for us, bittersweet.