Community Center Director Diane Booth told county commissioners on June 14, 2011 that with a new community center in the works, the Community Center Board of Trustees is supporting the Cook County Curling Club’s interest in making more use of the existing Community Center building.
Booth said the club is asking for more ice time this next winter, from October to April, four to six weeks earlier than it obtained use of the ice in previous years.
A written update from Booth states that the curlers “want to build up their club, and the only solution they have is to start curling earlier in the season next year. They hope to pull in some Canadians and increase the number of bonspiels,” including a Halloween bonspiel.
This would eliminate the Hockey Association, the school, and recreational skaters from being able to use the rink in October and November—an estimated 1,000 visits—and would preclude the annual Halloween party held at the Community Center.
To offset the loss of ice time for noncurling groups, Booth asked the board to consider purchasing a set of plastic panels that lock together to form a synthetic skating rink. Purchased along with the panels would be a protective underlayment, a wall, and rubber mats for the perimeter. Booth said such a rink could be set up on top of the tennis courts or downtown. It would need regular cleaning and application of a liquid skate enhancer.
The cost of a set of panels, underlayment, and rubber mats would be about $43,000 (estimates for the wall and a power washer had not come in yet). The life expectancy of systems like this is 15-20 years, Booth said.
Auditor-Treasurer Braidy Powers said the county’s Park and Rec Fund does not have money available in it for something like this, and he didn’t think it would qualify for funding under the 1 percent tax legislation. The money could come from the general fund, however. Commissioner Martinson suggested using funds from state or federal payment-in-lieu-of-taxes or the county’s Timber Fund, which can be used for recreation.
“I think this is something that will bring the hockey association and others many years of good use,” Commissioner Fritz Sobanja said.
The board passed a motion assenting to consideration of the purchase.
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