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Banff Rotary gets chilly reception on request for taxpayers to fund ice rink maintenance

"Maybe you’re sensing a vibe up here because we recently had a discussion around our financial plan that we did not want to have any kind of service level requests that were going to come with tax support."
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The $1.7 million redeveloped Banff Rotary Park on the 500 block of Banff Avenue, still under construction, on Monday (Sept. 30). MATTHEW THOMPSON RMO PHOTO

BANFF – A request for the Town of Banff to maintain an ice rink at the Rotary Club of Banff’s new park on Banff Avenue was met with a frosty reaction.

While administration is researching costs associated with maintaining the ice rink, which is part of the Rotary Club’s $1.7 million redevelopment of a park, Banff town council was somewhat taken aback at the request given the understanding the municipality wouldn’t be on the hook for any additional costs.

Mayor Corrie DiManno said council felt a “little caught off by it”, noting there was no indication the last time the Rotary Club was before council that there would be additional requests for tax dollars.

“Maybe you’re sensing a vibe up here because we recently had a discussion around our financial plan that we did not want to have any kind of service level requests that were going to come with tax support,” she said.

“We want to try to keep everything coming from reserves or a funding source and that’s kind of the framework we’re going into our budget process with. As well, we asked for a report where administration could identify up to $500,000 of options of where we could cut from this budget,” she added.

“We’re going through a budget season where we’re trying to be super lean on any new service level. It’s not to say we don’t totally appreciate the partnership for this park that is going to be such a community asset, but I think that’s the temperature up here.”

Complete with a multi-use court for tennis, basketball and pickleball, which can double as an ice rink in winter, the redeveloped park located on the 500 block of Banff Avenue, 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.

“We are incredibly excited with the progress we’ve had. All playground equipment is now in, the surfacing is now finished, the sports court has been poured,” said Dean Cooper, president of Banff Rotary Club.

In July 2023, Cooper told council that the organization was in discussions with the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation about maintenance costs associated with the multi-use court and its use as a winter skating rink.

“At this time, this conversation is still ongoing and there’s every intent for that to be carried on by them throughout the future,” he said at that council meeting. “We did mention to administration that there is no expectation that the Town would be taking future maintenance of a hockey rink onboard.”

But last week, Cooper told council that is no longer the case.

He said maintenance grants are very difficult to come by, and the club has exhausted all efforts with other corporate businesses in town for financial assistance.

“We would like to ask council if the Town could take over the maintenance of the ice for the rink at Rotary Park,” he said.

“We’re actually hoping to begin opening the park later in October, so if we could have an avenue to provide ice to the community this winter, that would be phenomenal.”

Coun. Kaylee Ram asked pointed questions of Cooper about why the ice rink maintenance wasn’t previously budgeted, the 11th hour nature of the request, and what the cost is expected to be.

“Was this just not something that was budgeted when you guys initially proposed this or is this just outside of your purview?” she said. “I know when you did have a previous delegation and we looked at the maintenance of the bathrooms, this wasn’t discussed.”

Cooper said the initial plan was to have ice rink maintenance be a community-based initiative.

“The reality is we’re getting more and more feedback from the community that this is going to be a very popular aspect of the park, and given the nature of our club, we just don’t think we have the ability or capabilities to pull off doing appropriate ice work to make this feasible for the community,” he said.

“I struggle to see a way forward with providing ice to the community like we would like to and we desperately want to. We know there’s a call for it, we know there’s a want for it, but without this from the Town, I don’t think we would be able to find a way forward.”

Located in the 500 block of Banff Avenue, the Rotary Club has maintained this community park in partnership with the Town of Banff since the 1970s.

Currently, the Town of Banff provides summer maintenance for Rotary Park. Last year, the municipality agreed to pick up additional year-round maintenance costs associated with the park’s redevelopment, increasing the budget by $14,600 in 2024, $87,300, in 2025 and $89,000 in 2026.

Council also directed administration to enter into a five-year operating agreement with the Rotary Club.

“We know folks love ice in this town and we can’t put up enough rinks that get used,” DiManno said.

“I have no doubt that it would become a beloved community asset, but I think I need to hear more of that community support.”

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