Palouse Ice Rink is seeking recommitment of $1M
Changes in location, construction costs has ice rink asking Moscow City Council to reaffirm its support
Palouse Ice Rink representatives will ask the Moscow City Council to reaffirm its commitment of $1 million from the Hamilton Fund to help pay for the new ice rink facility on South Main Street.
The Hamilton Fund comes from the estate of Bobby Hamilton for the purposes of supporting recreational opportunities in Moscow. It has been used for the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center, Hamilton Lowe Aquatic Center, parks and playgrounds.
The city already committed $1 million from that fund to the ice rink in 2017. Since that time, however, the Palouse Ice Rink purchased the former Northwest River Supply property on 2009 S. Main St. to be its new home.
Then, estimated construction costs for the new facility have gone up by more than $1 million and the first phase of construction is now estimated at nearly $4.4 million. This required the Palouse Ice Rink to secure other funding sources. It has sold part of that building as condominium units to help pay for the cost.
Given all these changes, the Palouse Ice Rink will ask the council next week to reaffirm the $1 million in Hamilton Funds for the project, according to City Attorney Mia Bautista, who spoke about this topic with the Moscow Public Works and Finance Committee on Monday.
The first construction phase includes installing the full-size sheet of ice, reengineered roof, building a new parking lot on the south side of the property, and making improvements to the interior as needed.
Phase two is estimated to cost approximately $500,000 and includes building offices, locker rooms, an event room, bleachers and a concession area.
According to its website, the Palouse Ice Rink is accepting donations and is currently trying to raise $1.25 million.
In other business, the Moscow Public Works and Finance Committee also recommended the city council approve $100,000 in playground equipment from Garrett and Company Inc. for Milton Arthur Park.
This equipment was the most popular choice in a public poll the city organized in January that garnered 574 total votes. It received 44% of the vote out of the nine equipment proposals that were submitted.
City staff hope to install the equipment in the fall. This project is also funded by the Hamilton Fund.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
