A proposal for a free downtown outdoor skating rink has been put on hold by St. Ignace city leaders, who say they need more information. Concerns that the city-operated rink would suck revenue from the city's indoor rink, plus having no information on the costs associated with maintaining the outdoor rink, contributed to the Recreation Advisory Committee dropping the proposal at its meeting Wednesday, January 14.

No vote was taken on the matter. Research that Mayor Paul Grondin had agreed to provide at this meeting about the city's liabilities and responsibilities for an outdoor rink was not provided, or asked for, at the meeting.

The rink was proposed for the parking lot at the city marina as a benefit for visitors and residents.

The committee asked City Manager Eric Dodson to contact nearby communities that offer outdoor skating to find out their operation and maintenance costs. Discussions could resume in May to plan a rink for next winter.

Acknowledging that the skating season is already well underway this year, Recreation Committee member Mark Sposito pushed for consideration by the city later on.

"It is absolutely something we should address in the future," he said. "Not only are we supposed to be fiscally responsible, we're also supposed to offer recreation. I think there is a huge number of people out there that probably would only skate outside."

The City of St. Ignace has offered outdoor skating in the past, but not since the indoor arena was built.

Recreation Director Scott Marshall said he had concerns about losing revenue at the arena. He also questioned whether there would be enough light at the marina and asked who would flood and plow the site.

"We had an outdoor rink and we dreamed of an indoor rink. Now we have an indoor rink and I think we need to take care of what we have," Mr. Marshall said.

He added, "I do understand you're driving into town and you see skating and how neat it looks. I do understand that. I want to do whatever it takes to help our community survive, but I just think we have a commitment, you and I, to Little Bear."

Mr. Sposito, who represents the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau on the committee, proposed the outdoor skating rink at the committee's December meeting. He contends that residents don't participate in open skating at the arena unless there is some other enticement offered.

The special pizza and skate program offered on Fridays, for example, he noted, brings in more people and revenue than other days where open sakting is offered. He asked for an accounting of the open skate revenue by day.

"I would personally like to see your revenues by the day, because Friday is going to be a huge day because you have something going on" he said. "I hope you develop seven other days just like it, but the days you don't have something going on, I'd like to see exactly what the revenue is from open skating."

Mr. Marshall, said that he would like two years to get the program operating the way he thinks it should be, which would include more advertising and promotion.

"The revenue starting out hasn't been a lot," he said, "but its been growing and growing and growing and I think it is going to be a lot more next year."

Since he took over as director this year, he said, he already has expanded open skating from about nine hours a week to nine hours a day. Some evening hours are reserved for hockey team practice.

The Recreation Committee expects a report on open skating revenue by the end of the season, said committee chairman, Don Gustafson.

He said he doesn't think an outdoor rink would impact the revenue at Little Bear, but he is concerned about the expense to operate an outdoor rink and whether the city can afford it.

Mr. Sposito said he believes the hockey program would have more participation if the community had an outdoor rink and families could skate any time of the day.

Upcoming Events

A Midget hockey tournament is being organized by the Hockey Association and the Recreation Department for Saturday, February 21, and Sunday, February 22, said Mr. Marshall. A combined Squirt and Mite tournament is planned for the third weekend of March.

Future cage fighting events will be held in Little Bear East Arena when the ice is removed from the rink. The area, said Mr. Marshall, will offer more seating then the conference room where cage fights now take place. The move also will make it possible to sell ringside seats and reduced-price bleacher seating.

Mr. Marshall said he is hoping more than 150 wrestlers and their families will be in town Saturday, February 7, for a trophy wrestling meet at LaSalle High School, organized by the city Recreation Department. As St. Ignace gets established with wrestling tournaments, said Mr. Marshall, participation will increase.

Mr. Marshall has been working with city staff and Velvet Green Creations of Newberry to develop a Web site for the Recreation Department. The site would list events and offer registration forms for various recreational events and tournaments.

"It's very interactive and very updatable," said Mr. Dodson. "That's the key."

The site will be linked with Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau sites. The city has no site of its own.

The cardiovascular exercise room addition at the fitness center is open and in use, said Mr. Marshall. Siding still needs to be added to the building. The room also needs carpeting, although budget constraints have put it on hold for now.

Gracia Marshall attended her first meeting on the board representing Moran Township. She replaces Jerry Fenlon, who retired after serving 12 years.

The Recreation Advisory Committee next meets Wednesday, February 11, at 7 p.m. at the Little Bear East conference room.