Credit: City of Kamloops
ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Outdoor skating rink is a great idea, pandemic or not

Aug 12, 2020 | 4:35 AM

KAMLOOPS — WHAT ON EARTH is the City thinking, spending almost $5.8 million on an outdoor skating rink, in these times of a struggling economy amid the pandemic?

In a split decision, City council approved Tuesday a second attempt at getting three quarters of that money from federal-provincial infrastructure grants.

The rink was proposed a couple of years ago by a very active group of residents who saw the need for a family focused winter recreation facility. It’s not your grandfather’s skating pond — the one where volunteers sprayed water onto a flat piece of ground and waited for it to freeze.

No, this one will have its own ice plant, storage facilities and even a Zamboni. So the City applied for funding a year and a half ago but was turned down. Yesterday’s decision is to put forward a new, improved application.

But what about that cost, even if the grant’s approved? Well, the grant would pay for all but $1.5 million of it, and that would be covered by funds redirected from other projects that came in cheaper than expected.

But wait, there’s more. The 24-year-old children’s splash park at Riverside Park is due for replacement. Cost? $1.5 million. As in, money that would have to be spent anyway.

So the plan is to build a multi-purpose facility in its place that would serve as a new splash park in summer and an outdoor rink in winter. Beyond annual operating costs there would be no borrowing or new taxes. Sounds like smart thinking to me.

Still, you say, it doesn’t feel right in these COVID times. Well, we don’t need to stand still on everything. The rink will be a great amenity and one, by the way, in which social distancing will be easy if we still need it by the time it’s built.

One tip: lose the propane fire pit and save some energy. Otherwise, don’t worry. Be happy. Splash. Skate.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.

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