BANFF – A decision by town council to pick up costs of maintaining a new outdoor skating rink at the 11th hour iced the cake for the Rotary Club of Banff.
Caught off guard earlier this month with the Rotary Club’s request for additional funding after earlier indicating it would not be needed, council this week approved an $11,215 spend for installation and maintenance of the Rotary Park ice rink this year, and $27,470 and $28,019 in 2025-26, respectively.
Coun. Kaylee Ram, who at a previous council meeting questioned the Rotary Club about why the ice rink maintenance wasn’t previously budgeted and the nature of the 11th hour request, voiced support for the municipality taking on maintenance of the ice rink.
“I understand and appreciate that this was unexpected and I was skeptical to begin with, however, this is a great community initiative,” she said during a council meeting on Monday (Oct. 28).
“We have a long winter … we just can’t get enough ice and there is going to be a skating rink on one side of the bridge, so I think it’s only fair that there is another skating rink on the other side.
“I have zero doubt that this will be heavily utilized by the community.”
The ice rink will be part of the Banff Rotary Club’s $1.7 million redevelopment of Rotary Park on the 500 block of Banff Avenue.
Complete with a multi-use court for tennis, basketball and pickleball, which can double as an ice rink in winter, the redeveloped park also includes a children’s playground.
The Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation committed $1 million for the community-focused project and the province of Alberta’s community facility enhancement program kicked in a $563,000 matching grant. The Rotary Club has also hosted an online silent auction to raise an additional $250,000.
Coun. Chip Olver echoed Ram’s comments, noting council found it difficult when the Rotary Club came back to ask for additional funding when clear statements have been made about the municipality having a very tight operating budget for 2025.
“But considering the location of this rink, which is in an area of town which I feel is underserved in terms of access to parks and rinks, with a fairly large population, and in support of the partnership that we’ve had with Rotary Club over the years and how much they’ve raised and how much they’ve contributed through their grant funding, and with their work through other supporters in the community, I think we should step up and help make this happen,” she said.
Blake Hinchey, recreation development coordinator for the Town of Banff, said the park’s revitalization project is nearing completion.
He said when council was approached in June 2013, the Rotary Club omitted maintenance of the sport court and skating rink from their funding request as they anticipated having enough volunteers to undertake this work.
“Since that time, the club has identified challenges with this and is therefore requesting the Town oversee maintenance and servicing of the rink, which also requires the seasonal install and removal of court tiles,” he said.
The Town of Banff has two publicly accessible indoor skating rinks at the Fenlands recreation centre. In addition, there are two outdoor skating rinks, one at the Fenlands recreation centre and the other at Banff recreation grounds.
