Penticton may have an outdoor ice rink this winter.
Activate Penticton will be back before Penticton’s council on Tuesday June 15, this time with detailed plans and recommendations from city staff to move forward with the project.
The new rink would be located just north of City Hall, and next to the link road that connects Main Street and Martin Street. It would take up part of the City Hall parking lot, and the plan is to eventually add a washroom facility capable of housing additional event and equipment storage for the rink.
According to Activate Penticton, the rink can operate in temperatures up to plus- 10 degrees Celsius and would be properly lit for night skating. It has potential to have spectating and eating areas as well as food truck vendor locations.
At a minimum, Activate Penticton is looking at $438,375 in costs, of which they would seek $202,000 in grant funding for infrastructure to install the rink. That funding would cover some of both Activate Penticton and the city’s costs to install the infrastructure necessary for the rink.
Staff have noted that city is looking to replace one of their ice resurfacers, and have asked council to consider selling the machine to Activate Penticton for $18,000 instead of trading it in.
One aspect that is hoped would further offset any costs is the potential to have the rink host the BC Hockey League’s 60th year celebration in January 2022, with the goal of bringing teams and their families to Penticton for the event.
“Considering the loss of the 2021 Centennial Cup event in Penticton, this would prove to be a great alternative,” reads the staff report.
Activate Penticton also is considering a more expensive $1,043,050 plan, which would include additional features such as paving the parking area, player benches and hockey nets.
READ ALSO: Kelowna opens its popular outdoor skating rink for 2020/21 season
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