Local resident and member of the Age Friendly Advisory Committee, Caily Robinson, presented an idea for a permanent outdoor rink to a full committee room of members and observers.
“This is just for us to imagine,” Robinson began, encouraging everyone present to join in a visioning and brainstorming exercise.
Robinson, a local high school teacher, is regularly visible advocating for the needs of local youth.
Robinson led the group through a visual presentation that included examples of what other communities on the north shore have done to provide facilities for outdoor skating. She hopes something could be ready for this winter season, in six to eight weeks.
Skating facilities are a very challenging topic in Elliot Lake presently. Following the Vikings season opening hockey game, the local arena was shut down due to safety concerns. Other youth skating programs were also affected.
Citizen members at the Age Friendly Advisory Committee described the impact the shut down has had on their families. Families are travelling out of town to Massey or Blind River and some children and youth are simply going without skating activities.
Staff described how the situation with the arena has drawn a lot of time at both the management and operations level from the presently short-staffed City. Council members are also heavily involved- remaining informed and providing direction to staff. It was noted, people are understandably exhausted.
Meeting chair, Councillor Merrill Seidel, encouraged a more free-flowing discussion than is typical. It allowed frustration and exhaustion to ‘meet at centre ice,’ and they began to form one team.
“We need one, simple little thing right now that will be a beacon of joy. We just need something as a hope. Whether you go [skating] or not,” Robinson said.
Acting Director of Public Works, Bill Goulding, described the broader picture the staff are facing, including other major capital expenses and the need to be aware of impact on property taxes as the budgeting process for next year begins. “We’re really conscious of hitting the levy right now, because before the new year, I’m going to be bringing capital projects that exceed our available reserves.”
However, Goulding also commented, “So, if we were to invest in permanent structure kind of solutions, I don’t think funding them would be a huge challenge because of support for the building from the business community and other funders. We could probably put a package together to fund something like this, but there’s an impact to draining the reserves the way that we’re probably going to be doing in the near future.”
The outcome was the forming of a working group of the citizen members. Robinson inquired if the working group could add a non-committee member. Local resident, Dave Brunet, agreed to help the group. Brunet had spoken in favour of the idea of a permanent outdoor rink, during the Public Input Session at the beginning of the meeting.
The working group will connect with the committee through liaison, Kari Kluke, Director of Recreation and Culture.