The city of Austin has financial commitments to build a new ice rink and renovate Riverside Arena.

Tuesday, March 13, 2001

The city of Austin has financial commitments to build a new ice rink and renovate Riverside Arena.

The commitments include $250,000 from the Austin Independent School District, $600,000 from Hormel Foods Corp., $350,000 from the Hormel Foundation, $250,000 from the Hormel Foods Corp.’s match of AYH funds ($179,000 at last count) and, presumably, the $900,000 of its own funds it had committed to the county’s ill-fated project.

In addition, the city hopes to have the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission transfer the $500,000 in Mighty Ducks grant monies it awarded to the county to the city for the new project.

That adds up to $3.05 million.

According to City Administrator Patrick A. McGarvey, the city will invite Mower County to make a financial contribution of its own to the project.

Mower County had committed $2.46 million of county funds to the multipurpose building project before deciding that $5.5 million was not enough to construct a facility on the fairgrounds.

McGarvey said the first priority of the city officials will be to select a site for the new one-sheet of ice arena.

He said an "aggressive" time schedule would be observed to see the twin projects – renovation of Riverside Arena and construction of a new practice rink – are completed as quickly as possible.

Gloria Nordin, Third Ward Austin City Council member, has five possible locations: 11th Street SE, a tax increment financing district; Seventh Street NE and Sixth Avenue NE; and east, west or north of the existing Riverside Arena.

Nordin said, "We need to get all the monies together and firmly in place. We should build what we can afford and not raise taxes for this project."

Because the city plans to renovate Riverside Arena into a more energy-efficient facility and because it will remain predominantly an ice arena, that cancels the city’s plans to convert it into a combination recreation and activity center.

McGarvey estimated the new arena could not be completed before the winter of 2002-2003.

The reaction from observers at Monday’s news conference was universally one of happiness and relief.

David Simonson, president of the Austin Board of Education, said the focus of Austin Public Schools remains on academics. But, Simonson added, if a second sheet of ice can relieve the early-morning and late-night practice schedules for high school hockey players, that should allow them more time to focus on academics during the school year.

Michelle Arjes, president of the Riverside Figure Skating Club, said: "We’re very excited. Right now, we only have Wednesday nights to practice and that is church night. The practice facility should allow us to be better prepared for competitions and to teach the basic skills of figure skating."

The club’s figure skaters took over the Riverside Arena ice after the news conference to practice for the weekend’s season-ending show. This year, 100 figure skaters are participating.

Jim Bennett, a parent of three skaters, said the second sheet of ice will allow skaters more practice time, "which is necessary for them to compete with the schools and cities that have more than one sheet of ice."

Jennifer Jenkins, incoming AYH board of directors president, agreed.

"With all the competition, we need the additional practice time to stay competitive," she said.

Dennis Bray, coach of the AHS girls hockey team, said: "This means a lot to the Austin High girls hockey program and its a big deal for Youth Hockey teams like the Squirts, who all can get better with more practice."