Matt Hillmann, Northfield School District superintendent, used an analogy to describe the importance of supporting a new local ice hockey arena in town.
“Hockey is as Minnesota as hot dish,” he said.
Hillmann told members of the Northfield School Board at last week’s meeting that Northfield’s proud hockey tradition would only continue if the city, school district and hockey association would stop kicking the can down the road.
Hillmann’s strong comments in favor of a new facility were fueled by the potential loss of $1 million in state funding revenue should 100 hockey families leave Northfield to enroll in another school district with a modern ice facility.
That estimate is conservative compared with Northfield Hockey Association’s calculation, which says that number could be as high as 200 families leaving the district to go elsewhere to play hockey. If that would come to pass, it would likely trigger another round of budget cuts.
The saga of the Northfield Ice Arena began decades ago by the inaction of city and school district authorities regarding the currently outdated facility. The fact that the outdated building is plagued with problems comes as no surprise to the local hockey community.
Not only does the current arena — home to the Raiders hockey teams — not meet the standards set by the Minnesota State High school League, because it lacks showers in the locker rooms, but it also fails to meet the codes stipulated in the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act, because it lacks accessible entrances and stairway handrails.
Additionally, there are holes in the ceiling, the facility needs a new roof, and the ice making equipment quite soon needs to be replaced.
New developments in the ongoing situation include a private entity that has recently approached the city of Northfield with an offer of $1.225 million to buy the facility. Additionally, the hockey association announced it has a plot of land near the Dundas Dome that has been donated to them for the express purpose of building a new arena.
For the last nine months, City Administrator Ben Martig and Public Works Director and City Engineer David Bennett have been working on a partnership between the city of Northfield, the city of Dundas, the Northfield Hockey Association and the Northfield School District. At last Monday’s Dundas City Council meeting, Bennett and Martig presented the options and proposals the group has coalesced around, said Jenelle Teppen, Dundas city administrator.
“The 20-minute presentation was well received by the Dundas council,” said Teppen. “All councilors asked questions and received in depth responses.”
Teppen said there would likely be a letter drafted regarding the Dundas City Council’s willingness to participate at its next meeting on May 28.
In the meantime, the Northfield School Board will get the opportunity to approve the language in the draft of the letter at its next meeting on May 13.
“A town of 20,000 should have a municipal ice arena,” said Hillmann.
Most Popular
Comments / 0