January 09, 2003
'Mercury' on Municipal Ice Rinks
Today's Portland Mercury has some good coverage of the proposed Pioneer Courthouse Square ice rink, and how the project compares to municipal ice rinks in other parts of the country:
Although representatives from Pioneer Square have offered assurances they have comprehensive studies supporting their proposal, they were unable to name a specific city-sponsored ice rink on which they had based their findings. "There were so many; I couldn't point to one," said a representative from Pioneer Square, who claimed that Portland Development Commission surveyed a number of cities that currently host public ice-skating rinks. Those studies were positive, assured the representative.
But what is evident from a brief survey by the Mercury is that the trend is currently moving away from sponsoring such projects. Currently, the city council in Madison, Wisconsin is trying to disentangle itself from two municipal ice rinks, citing them as a drain on the local budget. Mind you, Madison is the home to Erik Heiden, five-time Olympic gold-medal winner for speed skating; and the University of Wisconsin hockey team, 12-time NCAA national champions. It is, in short, an ice-skating town.
I'm especially fond of the fact that PCS Inc. representatives don't seem to be able to produce the studies of which they speak. It smells a little bit like their reference (in the Q&A document I posted yesterday) to area rink operators supporting the plan, but without providing any details.
Beating an undead horse: Public workshops begin next week. Be there. Me, I'll have my hat on.