Build it and he will come.
That might be true in attracting a long since passed baseball player, as seen in one of my favourite movies, Field of Dreams, but when it comes to attracting skaters on an outdoor rink, not so much.
Since I have been in Barrhead I can count on two hands the number of times I have seen anyone using the outdoor ice rink. I say rink because it is my understanding that the only rink town staff maintains is the one beside the Agrena.
One of the reasons why, could be the fact that outdoor rink’s maintenance tend to be hit and miss, with the emphasis being on the miss.
Last week during a Woodlands County council meeting, Whitecourt Central Coun. Ron Govenlock said community groups needed to put some skin in the game, as he called it, if they want to use the community’s facilities. See next week’s issue for the story.
Specifically, he was referring to Blue Ridge’s outdoor skating rink, which the county has been helping the community maintain. Not only by flooding and creating the ice at the start of the season, but by periodically clearing it whenever there is a snowfall of more than three inches. Recently the Blue Ridge Community League, at the county’s request, submitted a proposal to provide janitorial services for the hamlet’s new library. As part of the proposal, the janitorial services would include snow removal for the community centre, library and nearby ice rink.
It is his contention that snow removal shouldn’t be part of the contract and that those who want to use the facility should do it.
I’m not sure if I agree with that. First of all, unlike the movies, where it is a team or a group, uses the rink and is able to clear the rink in mere moments, in real life it isn’t hockey or figure skating clubs that are using the rinks, but rather small groups or individuals, some of which, although they might be able to skate are physically incapable of doing the job.
But more importantly I believe if a municipality decides to provide a service or facility it should be up to them to maintain it.
If they cannot or do not want to do it then perhaps it is time to stop offering the service. I know last winter I heard many complaints about the condition of the outdoor ice rink and I must admit, on my few visits to the rink during the winter, I agree that it isn’t always in the best shape. The public must also be realistic. No matter what municipality, outdoor rinks will never be in pristine condition. Besides being subjected to the weather, they will always be an afterthought.
That being said, they are still public facilities and if the municipalities want to continue to offer them, then it is their responsibility that they are useable.
