3/1/2008 4:15:00 PM City pledges to own future ice arena
YOUNG CITIZENS OF BIG LAKE showed up at the city council meeting to support the construction of an indoor ice arena. (Photo by Jennifer Edwards).
By Jennifer Edwards Staff Writer
The Big Lake City Council passed a resolution affirming their intent to take ownership of the Big Lake Ice Arena proposed to be built in the Marketplace at their meeting Wednesday.
The move brought the proposed arena one more step closer to becoming a reality. Once the city owns the arena, Sen. Betsy Wergin suggested it may qualify for a $500,000 state financing assistance grant.
With a crowd of young skaters and hockey players looking on, council members debated the issue before passing the resolution.
Mayor Don Orrock said it would be wise of the ice association to construct as much of the building as possible themselves before turning it over to the city.
"They'd get a much better bang for their buck," Orrock said. "We have to pay Minneapolis Union Scale for all the crafts."
The proposal is contingent upon approval of the proposed grant for $500,000 which can only be used once the city owns the property, a commitment from the ice association to donate $1 million towards the construction of the project and the execution of a management agreement providing for the association to manage and maintain the facility, and proportionate matching financial participation from Sherburne County, Big Lake Township or the Big Lake School District through the use of tax abatement.
"This project will not be completed without tax abatement," said Council Member Chuck Heitz.
"This will not necessarily be a check for $1 million," said City Attorney Soren Mattick. "It may be the land and a building."
"The hope is to show the project will be worth more than $1.5 million," said City Administrator Scott Johnson.
"It was a very nice vote of confidence," said Julie Vickerman of the ice association. "It gave us some encouragement."
The ice association is continuing fund raising efforts to make the construction of the arena a reality.
All proceeds from pull tabs sold at Victory Sports Grill and Bar go to the ice association. They have already hosted a number of other events and anticipate other fund raisers in the near future.
