Sylvan Lake town council is moving ahead with a proposal to develop a high-quality outdoor ice rink facility capable of hosting hockey games and other ice-related pursuits.
At a special meeting Tuesday night, councillors gave administration the green light to move ahead with the construction of the facility, which would be situated in Leader Field West, but only if a corporate sponsor for the project can be secured.
“It would be a facility that would have rental fees and user fees and everything else just like an indoor facility,” said Town communications officer Joanne Gaudet. “It would be able to host games and things like that. It would be a much higher level than the outdoor rinks that we have for the community.”
The Town hopes the creation of a new rink, along with the amenities that would accompany it, would alleviate pressure from the Multiplex, which has provided the town’s sole ice surface since the collapse of the Sylvan Lake Arena’s roof earlier this year.
“It’s something staff has been working on, in light of the arena collapse, knowing how many users we have and knowing how difficult it is to schedule everything that we’ve otherwise scheduled onto one ice surface,” said Gaudet.
Sponsorship is required to cover the entire cost of the project, according to a report to council. Gaudet said administration would work to secure a project sponsor immediately, with the hopes of constructing the facility as soon as weather permits.
Nearby land and property owners will be “notified appropriately” of the project, should it go ahead, said Gaudet.
The facility would include a rink, penalty boxes, dressing rooms and a score clock.
The cost of the project in its entirety is believed to be around $500,000, which could increase in further years with the potential eventual addition of a roof and lighting.