A local business’s request for help in maintaining an ice skating rink at the train station has been turned down – but Caribou Properties is still hoping to build the additional community rink regardless.
At a meeting Monday (Dec. 7), council unanimously opposed Banff Caribou Properties’ request to have the Town of Banff provide in-kind support for a boarded rink by flooding the ice twice a week between mid-December and early March.
Town of Banff officials say staff could not support this within current labour resources without affecting existing service delivery, noting it would cost $7,980, including labour and the ice resurfacing machine.
“We don’t have the capacity to do this in regular hours and so this is priced out at overtime hours,” said Paul Godfrey, the Town of Banff’s operations manager, noting they could charge Caribou Properties a fee for the service.
The Town of Banff plans to rebuild the ice surface at the Banff Community High School grounds in time for Christmas, but it all depends on the weather. There’s also an ice rink at the Fenlands recreation centre.
Caribou Properties built a rink at the train station last year because it believed there was a need for a second ice surface to enhance the winter experience for both residents and visitors to town.
Officials say they want to offer a rink again this year, and are prepared to spend $11,000 on the project, which would include rink boards, lighting, nets, benches, tables and regular snow clearing.
“I was a bit surprised to hear that it was turned down,” said Gordon Lozeman, Caribou’s president and CEO. “We just thought that if we did the rink construction with boards, it would be fairly easy for the Town to provide an occasional flood, especially with the Fenlands so close by.”
Lozeman said they’ll still try it for this winter.
“It will just be a bit harder to make it really good,” he said. “People that play hockey understand how important boards are to the game of shinny. We just like the idea of creating this option in town – it’s so Canadiana.”
Councillor Chip Olver said she could not support the request, noting it came late in the budget process.
“I understand that rink was used last year, but I believe it was mainly by staff of Caribou. I didn’t see much public use of it,” she said.
