Should St. Charles Bring Back An Ice Skating Rink?
The city offered an ice skating rink in Frontier Park for two years and one Parks Board member wants to see it return.
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For two years, visitors to downtown St. Charles could take a spin on an ice skating rink in Frontier Park run by the city during the winter months.
The city shut down the rink after the 2010 season due to cost concerns, but some members of the community are hoping to see it return.
TJ Slattery, a member of the St. Charles Parks and Recreation Board, is campaigning for a joint effort between the Tourism Department, City Council and the Parks and Recreation Department to bring back the ice rink for the 2013-14 winter season.
"I have had a lot of calls this year saying, 'Hey, where is the ice skating rink?'" he said. "I think it's a good amenity. You don't want to overdo it, at the end of the day you want to offer things that are cool like that."
Slattery informally shared his idea with members of the Parks and Recreation board during its meeting Wednesday. He plans to gauge support from members of St. Charles City Council and the Department of Tourism.
"It's not a thing to make money," he said. "The goal would be to break even, but not to look at it as a revenue generator, more of a community enhancement."
The city first installed an ice skating rink in Frontier Park in 2009. That season, the rink lost money as costs for installation and staffing ran at more than $240,000 and the rink brought in just $84,813.
The city council opted not to bring back the skating rink in 2011 because of the costs. In addition, the Parks Department had to put in time to repair damage to the turf at Frontier Park following the 2010 ice skating season very quickly—the first big event in the park takes place in April.
"All of these things are real workable to get through," Slattery said.
He hopes the city council can use discretionary money and partner with both the departments of tourism and parks and recreation to fund the rink.
Slattery said getting nonprofit groups to staff it may help cut down on costs, and providing programming, such as ice skating lessons, could generate revenue.
"Anything that could bring people down there and get folks to use it," he said.
Maureen
8:11 am on Friday, January 4, 2013
Would rather see a snow-making machine at Blanchette Park in Bum's Hollow for sledding.
June Coles
8:55 am on Friday, January 4, 2013
A Skating rink would bring in revenue, but how would a snow-making machine bring in revenue? How would you charge for sledding down a hill?
Dino McDonnell
12:46 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
June, the ice rink lost money, a lot, according to the city.
dbatch1715
10:34 am on Friday, January 4, 2013
Saint Charles needs to save money. Why don't they spend less and stop taxing utility bills? STOP WASTING MONEY!!!!
Joe Strehl
1:29 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Yes! The city should bring back the ice skating rink!
Bob
1:56 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Bring it back only if you can break even.
Leann Starr
2:14 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Two obsticles need to be addressed - Unreimbursed cost and damage to the park grounds. Other activities hosted in Frontier Park also wreck the grounds. Heavy trucks and large rides also damage the turf. Some consideration should be given to locating such activities to the paved area near the boathouse. Leave the grounds for smaller rides and tents.
Bob
6:58 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Can't move the activities to the boathouse area...this is prime parking for any large function in Riverside Park.
w. martin
7:19 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Downtown in the winter time is wonderful for the residents. If you go there, you can shop or drink...making the area a special place for people who want to take their kids or dates for something other than shopping or drinking...maybe that area near the military plaques in front of the Lewis/Clark museum would be appropriate and could be left up longer. It was a great place to take a kid in the winter...was...
Tony Caruso
12:44 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
As a St. Charles business owner, I would love to see the skating rink brought back. My kids sure enjoyed it and we also organized a couple group outings there. It definitely brings people to the area and gives the locals something fun to do in the dead of winter. Maybe you jack up the price a bit. As far as damage to the grounds go, I walk that area several times a week and I think the place looks fantastic.
Dino McDonnell
12:44 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Having the ice rink in Frontier Park was an idea of past Mayor Patty York where she thought it would bring visitors and shoppers to Main Street for the Christmas traditions and generate revenue for the business and tax revenue for the city. The idea really didn’t work as can be seen by the past two years of great shopping on Main Street during the Christmas shopping period. That’s not to say the ice rink was not enjoyed by those who used it, it was, but the cost to the city was also too much. The city has too many other obligations that are more important than an ice rink not to mention the basics such as police, fire, streets, sewers, and many others.