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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCS-03-92 I ' ,J, $ THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE REPORT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE File #1<05.3 & /5. G: e.... Res. #G-fJ;1- 40/- q~ By-Law # Date: JANUARY 6, 1992 Report #: I"<J-(n-92 File #: Subject: NATURAL OUTDOOR ICE RINKS Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report No. CS-OJ-92 be received for information. 1. 0 BACKGROUND: 1.1 At the November 26, 1991 Meeting of Council, Resolution GPA - 698-91 was approved requesting staff to examine the feasibility of man made skating rinks in some of the Town's parks. 2.0 COMMUNITY SURVEY: 2.1 An informal telephone survey was undertaken to determine what type of natural ice programs were provided in our neighbouring communities of Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa. 2.2 Pickering advises they have two natural outdoor rinks planned for this winter. Claremont, a northern community within Pickering has had a rink the past two seasons built on a 50 by 75 foot paved pad. A second rink will be undertaken this season for the first time at a public school in pickering. In both cases the rinks are push back rinks with banked snow which are ploughed and flooded by Town staff. Water is applied by use of two 1000 gallon water trucks. Staff have stated that because of the uncertain weather conditions that if a mild period is experienced causing a loss of ice, they .. /2 914 R'p",,'iEL.:'D * :,~~~~. lliISISPRINTEDONRECVCLED?APEA REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 2 - JANUARY 6, 1992 will halt all further work. Costs are part of their entire winter maintenance budget and can not be readily identified. They stated that they will spend no more than $2,000 on the rink in Claremont and $1,000 for the other. The statistics taken by them in recent years indicates that on average they obtain 10 days of skating per season. 2.3 Ajax has in years past had up to 11 natural outdoor ice rinks however, most recently only 3 rinks were constructed. Each fall the Town advertises to identify interested volunteers who are prepared to donate their time and labour to create and maintain push back ice rinks for their neighbourhood. The Town provides 8 inch high boards installed on ball diamond infields to create a rink of approximately 50 by 100 feet. Garden hoses are supplied by the Town to the groups who store the hoses at and obtain water from a local school. The Town ploughs the rink when the snowfall is in excess of 2" and after other winter responsibilities are fulfilled. Lights are not available and therefore no promoted or supervised skating occurs after dark. The community group is responsible to police the rink and are only able to flood and clean the ice when school staff are present to provide access to the building. Ajax staff stated that on average about 10 days of skating' occurs per rink per year. Ajax stated that the support provided the volunteer group was spread through several budgets and could not be specifically identified. They believed they had a fixed cost of $2,000 per rink and $500 to $1,500 per annum additional per rink for snow removal depending on the season. 2.4 Whitby has not provided natural outdoor ice rinks for the past 5 years and the last one provided was in Brooklin. At that time the push back rink was flooded and cleared of snow by the Town by means of a 1000 gal. water tank on a truck and a ../3 915 REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 3 - JANUARY 6, 1992 plough truck. At that time they had approximately 30 days of skating per season at the Brooklin rink. No costs have occurred recently. 2.5 Oshawa has in the passed operated a number of natural ice rinks. In three of their community parks large push back rinks were operated by the City. In those cases the 50 by 100 foot rinks were provided on lit ball diamond infields which made them available for night use. In 1987 it was determined that on average 15 20 days of skating was occurring subsequently the program was discontinued and has not been re-initiated. Elsewhere, they offer assistance to any of its 24 community associations interested in providing local natural ice rinks. The City provides hoses and boards to define the rink. Water is obtained from the park buildings or clubhouses and all work is performed by the associations with only occasional assistance from the City to remove heavy snows. Deteriorating weather conditions in recent years has seen the community groups actively involved in natural ice rinks reduced to one. Oshawa staff report that the Donovan Park artificial outdoor ice rink is serviced by a 50 HP compressor and is able to maintain ice suitable for skating about 40 days a year. Oshawa finances its natural ice rinks through its general winter maintenance program and precise figures of cost are not available. The three Towns provided rinks in the last year of operation cost approximately $10,000 total. The expenditures were limited by poor winter conditions and halted in mid season. The volunteer rink costs the Town approximately $1,500 per season. 3.0 OBSERVATION: 3.1 In consultation with these communities, staff all cited the lack of cold weather over the winter during the past ten years has led to a reduction or discontinuation of Town operated programmes and the deClining interest of volunteer groups. . ./4 916 REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 4 - JANUARY 6, 1992 Other problems encountered were disputes between hockey users and pleasure skaters with ineffective means to police the rinks. Union agreements made no provision for rescheduling outdoor work to the nightshift. The work required for night flooding was sporadic and insufficient to fully engage a night crew. Close scrutiny during budget review could not justify the expense in view of the limited use. Other comments were access to schools, park buildings and other water sources was difficult to coordinate or left the security of the building or water sources in some doubt. Also, cooperation by the Public utilities in using hydrants as a source of water was prohibitive due to the cost to turn on and drain the fire hydrant. 4.0 DISCUSSION: 4.1 The Parks and Cemeteries Division of the Community Services Department has four unionized employees from October 15th to April 15th to perform burials; answer inqu~rJ_es; provide vacation replacement for staff working in buildings; litter pick; empty garbage receptacles; repair benches, picnic tables and garbage receptacles; service playgrounds; repair worn turf areas; restore vandalized areas; prepare budgets; administer contracts; plan for and order goods for the upcoming year and repair and service all small equipment. In view of our present responsibilities the only viable alternative is to either contract ice rink maintenance or allow volunteer groups to perform the task. 4.2 The uncertainty of favourable weather conditions during the past decade or so necessitates that rink maintenance be done during the colder night hours when the maximum ice base may be developed. 4.3 Water source is a controlling factor in the locating of any ice rink. It must be close to the source of water. Although .. /5 q17 REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 5 - JANUARY 6, 1992 fire hydrants are a ready source, expensive special equipment is required, training in use of fire hoses is needed and special winterizing must be performed after each use. The Regional Works Department are prepared to supervise the use of the hydrant and winterize the hydrant for full remuneration. A second and preferred alternative is to gain access to a hose bib at a school or park building where hoses and snow clearing equipment may be thawed and stored. 4.4 Natural ice rink sites require a relatively level area of 50 by 100 feet and preferably on an area absent of grass such as pavement or ball diamond infield. This would allow the ground beneath to freeze thoroughly and rapidly allowing for a longer skating season. Grass hinders frost penetration and natural ice rinks if located on established grass will kill the turf resulting in expensive annual repairs. Asphalt areas used for rinks and without sufficient snow or ice cover will absorb winter sun heat on mild days limiting the skateable days. 5.0 RATIONAL: 5.1 If Council should decide during this time of restraint to proceed with a natural ice rink program by means of contracting, it would require a shift in priorities to finance the program. The more practical option would be a volunteer provided natural ice rink program. Although the Department has from time to time received suggestions or requests for natural ice rinks there has been no organized request or demand. This is not to suggest however that with encouragement and some support that such groups could not be developed. 5.2 Volunteer groups have in past decades been used successfully throughout southern Ontario to provide natural ice rinks for community use. Volunteers will stay active and perpetuate a program when they achieve their goals in a consistent manner. A few less than successful years will result in a loss of ../6 918 REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 6 - JANUARY 6, 1992 interest for the program. this will be a serious solution. 5.3 The cost of using the fire hydrants or performing the work using Durham Public Works staff is prohibitive. The Regional Public Works overtime rate for 1992 which includes administration and overhead costs is $26.17 for staff per hour and $7.84 for the service vehicle. A minimum callout of three hours would cost $102.03 per flooding. In order to build and maintain ice, rinks should be flooded almost nightly. 5.4 The Town could however provide some assistance to any volunteer group willing to undertake the task. The form of that assistance could be the Department is prepared to work with the community to identify encourage and assist the volunteers in developing leadership and organization. The Department could advise the groups on proper care, safety and standards to maintain the ice. In cases of heavy snowfall the Department could through its contractors after other responsibilities are satisfied, plough the rink surface. In addition the Department could through budget approval supply hoses and snow removal equipment and store them during the off season. staff could also assist in seeking a school or hall board's assistance in providing a source of water and storage of equipment plus supply public liability insurance. 5.5 A volunteer group would be responsible to organize itself, to approach the Town with a request for the above outlined assistance, to carry out all related work, to provide security for supplied equipment and to supervise and police the use of the rink. 6.0 CONCLUSION: 6.1 Staff are unable to ,recommend a natural ice rink program in In light obstacle of our weather conditions for which there is no ../7 q19 , -~ . REPORT NO. CS-03-92 - 7 - JANUARY 6, 1992 view of the poor success experienced in our neighbouring municipalities. Should Council elect to proceed without a specific program staff are prepared to administer the contract or work with any volunteer group. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee, /~ f)~. A Joseph P. Caruana, Director Department of Community Services Officer JPC:JDC:sa "71