UPDATE: Council voted 16-0 Monday to move forward with plans to create several outdoor ice rinks in public parks.
The next step includes approaching potential community partners to discuss funding opportunities.
Municipal staff will return to council with an information report with recommendations on associated costs and potential locations.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is trying to formalize and grow an outdoor ice rink program for public skating.
A report going to Council Monday evening is recommending neighbourhood-managed outdoor ice rinks be installed across the municipality. The program would allow volunteers to assemble an outdoor ice rink in their local park after getting the appropriate approvals through an application process.
The idea is to have six or more public skating rinks eventually.
Manager of Parks and Recreation Ian Clark said training would be provided by municipal staff and volunteers would be responsible for rink construction and maintenance, daily inspections, and reporting incidents.
"This delivery model is viewed as the most cost effective option compared to a municipally installed and managed rink and allows rink locations to be flexible to match annual changes in local demand," Clark said.
Volunteer-managed outdoor ice rinks have previously operated at Chatham’s London Drive Park and Mitchell’s Bay Park and this proposal, if approved, will formalize the process and allow more groups to apply.
The municipality said local groups would only be formed if parks were available near their homes and water is available, noting that water in municipal parks is usually disconnected for the winter season.
The Neighbourhood-Managed Outdoor Ice Rinks program will have broad location criteria, such as safety, access requirements, etc. to encourage them in a variety of parks throughout Chatham-Kent.
The ice rink program is estimated to cost $37,747 annually and Councillors are being asked to refer the cost to the 2024 budget process. Clark said the costs are for increased part-time wages to deliver training and inspections, installing signage, and the potential use of utilities for the six rinks.
Clark noted more rinks can be approved annually if the resources allow it.
