A task force says the city’s Treadwell Ice Arena needs an advisory board, not an empowered board.
The city created the task force in August to look into an empowered board for Treadwell, either under the Eaglecrest Board of Directors or one of its own.
Assemblyman Loren Jones chairs the task force. He says an advisory board will bring focused attention to the rink’s management that the facility hasn’t gotten before.
“We want them to look at marketing. How do we increase the number of users? If we can increase the number of people that want to learn to skate, the number of people that show up at open skates, the number of people that are involved. Is there other ways to raise revenues?” Jones says.
The board would also be tasked with finding where operational efficiencies could be made and helping to ensure all users had equal opportunity on the ice.
During public comment at a recent task force meeting, Chris Mertl said he likes the idea of an advisory board, which could help the ice rink become more cost effective.
“But at the same time, you have to maintain the big picture is that it is a Parks and Recreation facility for everybody. There are going to be times where you’re not going to be making maximum money on every hour of sheet time. That mom and dad and the kids will be there from time to time and I know those aren’t your big money makers but we still need to provide a facility for them,” Mertl says.
Mertl is on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee but said he was speaking for himself.
Treadwell recovers about half of its costs. In fiscal year 2013, it spent around $650,000 and brought in about $350,000. Attendance has dipped in the last five years.
City manager Kim Kiefer is also on the Treadwell Arena Task Force.
“I’m not looking at Treadwell as being 100 percent cost recovery. I don’t think that’s realistic. What I want is I want to make sure that we have a facility that is accessible to the public. What Treadwell is there for and why we built it was to provide a safe place for people to go skate,” Kiefer says.
The last round of budget cuts hurt the Parks and Recreation Department, including Treadwell Arena, which became a 10-month facility instead of year-round. As the city looks to make more cuts to total $9.2 million, Kiefer couldn’t say specifically if Treadwell would be further affected. She says everything is on the table.
The task force’s recommendation for a Treadwell advisory board will be passed on to the mayor and the Assembly. Jones hopes the board can be formed by May.
