Recreation commissioners weigh pros, cons of rink

A proposal that Carson City Parks and Recreation Department get involved with the operation of the Arlington Square Ice Skating Rink for the 2009-10 winter season was met with mixed reviews Tuesday night.

Parks Director Roger Mollendorf explained the plan to members of the Parks and Recreation Commission, but board members were split in their support of the issue, which was scheduled for discussion only.

The ice rink, which was planned and operated last season by the city's Office of Business Development - in the parking lot across from the Carson Nugget - drew about 10,000 skaters, but was in the red by more than $148,000 when the rink closed in March.

The goals of the OBD, Mollendorf said, were to provide an economic stimulus to downtown business during a slow time of year and to create a winter recreational activity for Carson residents.

The shortfall for the upcoming season is expected to be about $135,000, and the board of supervisors is scheduled to decide Thursday whether they think ice skating is a recreational opportunity in which the city wants to be involved.

Planners propose to operate the rink for eight weeks starting on the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27.

Commissioner Pete Livermore, who also sits on the board of supervisors, said he was concerned that the city should be asked to subsidize such a large amount of money.

"Should this city have an ice rink? Does it deserve an ice rink? I'm not sure the public participation" indicated support, Livermore said.

"This amount of money could be used for a lot of things like opening up more hours at the library, so I'm not sure this is the best use of public money," he said.

Several other commissioners were concerned that the program was not expected to show a profit, but Mollendorf said most recreation programs weren't money-making ventures.

"The pool doesn't run in the black," Mollendorf said, adding that about 50 percent of recreation programs fit into that same category.

He said an ice rink doesn't differ much from other quality-of-life issues.

Commissioner Tom Keeton said he was upset that the so-called subsidy would end up coming out of the parks and recreation budget.

"I don't consider this a legitimate recreation project," Keeton said, adding that "if we had to pick a site, it wouldn't be across the street from the Nugget."

Commissioner Steve Lasco agreed.

"I'm struggling with the numbers and the level of shortfall," Lasco said. "I don't see the relevance of us hearing this when we have no real say in it. It's a Currier and Ives kind of thing, but the timing with the economics is an unfortunate blend."

But Commissioner Sean Lehmann said he used the rink several times and felt it was a worthwhile recreation project, as did Molly Walt, also a member of the board of supervisors.

Keith Barnett, a Carson City resident said he was a lifelong ice skater and he really enjoyed the ice rink.

"I would have skated more if the surface had been maintained better," he said.