Huntsville council has approved the creation of an ice rink at the Lions Lookout field for the upcoming winter season.
Work to get the rink up and running will begin in November and according to a report submitted to council on September 27 by Steve Hernen, Huntsville director of operations and protective services, a budget of just over $51,000 has been set aside for the rink.
The funds are expected to come from the Town portion of the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT), a tax levied on overnight guests by accommodation providers.
The rink will run as a test pilot this winter with staff expected to report back to council at the end of the season regarding the actual cost and degree of usage it received to determine whether the rink should be a regular community feature.
The resolution passed by council also noted that should an established community group step forward and also agree to maintain Cann Lake as an outdoor rink, that staff be allowed to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the volunteer group to set out who is responsible for what.
Hernen said the rink at Lions Lookout would be built on the grassed field and measure approximately 100 by 200 feet. In terms of cost, a one-time, $15,000 expenditure would be required to get water to the field, currently about 100 feet away.
The overall budget would also include a seasonal part-time position to operate the rink at 40 hours per week for 16 weeks.
Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano asked whether a person would be hired for the position or whether the rink could be managed with existing municipal staff.
Hernen said existing staff would be busy with winter maintenance. “Our existing staff is tied up with snow removal on sidewalks and what not,” he said. Terziano wanted to know what would happen if it doesn’t snow for a week. “Are we committing a job to somebody at 40 hours a week or just as needed?”
Hernen said while advertising the job “as needed” would be ideal, he did not think anyone would apply. “I think you’re probably going to have to guarantee them 40 hours if you want somebody to commit for the winter months. We’ll certainly try to do it on a part-time basis, but I know right now we have a tough time at Madill [yard] getting any operators unless we guarantee 40 hours a week. They’re not glamorous hours, it’s going to be late nights, early mornings and usually the only way you can find somebody willing to do that is if you’re guaranteeing them something like 40 hours a week and we’d make sure they’d be doing something. They’re not going to be sitting at home collecting a paycheck if you will. You can certainly advertise it on an on-call basis, but I don’t know that you’d find anybody.”
Terziano said her concern is guaranteeing someone 40 hours a week and if there aren’t 40 hours a week of work whatever else they do would have to fall under the MAT parameters.
Councillor Dan Armour asked whether volunteers had been asked to help with the rink.
Hernen said volunteers through the Huntsville Rotary Club had already committed to maintaining the rink on Cann Lake. “That was the presentation made to council, they wanted the Town to look after the Lions Lookout and the Rotary Club was going to look after Cann Lake, so we did not look for any other volunteer group…” said Hernen.
There were suggestions about contracting out the position. Hernen said staff could go out to tender for it if council wished.
In the end, council approved the existing budget and plan to pilot the Lions Lookout ice rink for the 2021/2022 season.
Terziano once more cautioned that MAT funds not be used for hours not dedicated to the rink.
Budget for the ice rink, as presented to council by staff, below:
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I have walked around that playing field for years even when it wasn’t plowed and cleared. I was very grateful when the town cleared the snow and made walking safe and enjoyable in the winter. I hope that will continue.
I agree to make this a place which could be a winder wonderland destination. So much could be done. Not just the rink, but a groomed trail around the track and even consider the option to put a big pile of snow and make it like a winter playground/play structure. Kids would love it!
To Sandra Rae: I agree (although I didn’t utilize that walking space). It is challenging to find a safe place to walk in the winter.
I really like the suggestions about a walking track beside skating. It makes perfect sense!
We are 70+ and walked on the track last winter, two or three times a week. It was not icy, and protected from the wind. I suppose a lot of younger folks will use the rink, but we will miss a safe place to walk.
Any thought about having the track ploughed around the proposed rink with the addition of benches for changing..the cleared track would facilitate more outdoor activity for the non-skaters simultaneously.
This is awesome news I can’t wait to take me grand kids there .
Yeah for outdoor rinks
This is fantastic. It would be amazing if there was a ability or interest to be able to incorporate a cross country ski trail around the periphery of the skating rink or better yet, having a Intown cross country ski trail that could utilize the whole area. It would be great for the high school ski teams, and even have cross country skiing events utilize an area that would otherwise sit quiet during the winter
This news is awesome! And that there’s the potential for 2 natural ice rinks just doubles the fun. Knowing rinks are to be open consistently is excellent. Of course Cann has more weather risks being a pond, but our family will be taking advantage. One question: will the track around the field continue to be ploughed? That was a real bonus for walkers last winter. All in all, great winter usage of this huge area.