We need an ice sheet
A while back, Manhattan voters soundly rejected a bond proposal that would have funded the construction of an aquatic/recreation center. While I would have enjoyed such a facility, the price tag was simply too high for a community of this size.
Beyond the price, however, I’d like to see more diversity in the recreational opportunities. We have pools already, perhaps not enough, but far better than many communities. In the Northeast, many communities have no public pool, while we have three in a city of 50,000.
What don’t we have in terms of recreational facilities? An ice rink. Ice sheets have many, many uses: hockey, figure skating lessons, recreational skating, short-track speedskating, etc. In summer you can kill the freezer and use the surface for roller hockey and other activities. Anyone who’s ever been around any ice rink in the nation knows that they are booked literally all day long, and often deep into the night. Moreover, they’re largely just basic large metal structures with little adornment. The only expensive system is the coils, and the cost of running them. Even dinky little towns in Canada can afford their own rinks, which speaks to their low cost.
While I was glad to hear that Manhattan is building a larger sheet in the near future, it will still be a fraction of a regulation hockey sheet. Why bother? Spend the money, build a larger sheet, and give us something to do in the winter that makes sense. I’ll vote for that.
Tags: hockey, ice rink, kansas, manhattan, skating
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