Should the town of WS close the ice rink?

[wnyfuture]

Should the town of WS close the ice rink? The Rink Refrigeration is old and needs to be fixed.

The figures below probably have risen since '04 due to the rising energy prices.

meetings on the town website, I came across sections about costs of the ice rink. In a July 12, 2004 board meeting, it was stated by the former Supervisor, that the costs of the ice rink for utilities and maintenance was between $300,000- $500,000 a year. He also stated in a Sept 20, 2004 board meeting that the town was helping to subsidize the costs for the towns youth hockey program to the tune of about $250,000.

Christina Bove replied to my email and did some investigation.

The town rink made it through the season and will be shutting down this weekend. Replacement costs for floor removal and new system would be about $1.3 million. A test has been done to test the structure of the beams because of the age of the building. The town is waiting for those results.

The Hockey Association would like a new rink with 2 pads. That cost would be probably $4-5 million. What to do about the ice rink will be an issue facing the Town Board. A thorough study would need to be done, with possible options, involving usage and cost analysis. Input would also be needed from taxpayers who would help make any decision.

Currently, the process of referendum to close the ice rink is being organized

[PaulJonson]

Have you asked them if they want to go the same route as the Town of Hamburg and have a private company come in a run it?

[wnyfuture]

Have you asked them if they want to go the same route as the Town of Hamburg and have a private company come in a run it?

And when the private company goes belly up, we are stuck! That's why the tax payers in this town voted against putting up a bond for a private company to build a rink.

[WNYresident]

And when the private company goes belly up, we are stuck! That's why the tax payers in this town voted against putting up a bond for a private company to build a rink.

Let the private company pay for thier own ice rink.

[wnyfuture]

How many of the voters voting NO are west seneca residents? Probably less than 10%

Why are people voting NO? Let's hear from the pro-rink side

[therising]

And when the private company goes belly up, we are stuck! That's why the tax payers in this town voted against putting up a bond for a private company to build a rink.

What do you mean "stuck?" Do you mean "stuck" without an ice rink?

[Niagara]

What do you mean "stuck?" Do you mean "stuck" without an ice rink?

Not stuck without an ice rink, he obviously means stuck with the bill FOR an ice rink that few people in the town uses. There is no requirement a town provide ice time for anyone, and certainly not at a major financial loss year after year. Time to cut the losses, tear down the building, and call it. It is because the town was so generous with "the necessities" that there is nothing left for toys like ice rinks.

[WSWings98]

From someone who spends 3 to 5 days a week in ice rinks year round, I of course vote "No". The argument of not funding it because you don't use it sounds selfish. I pay West Seneca school taxes but my kids don't attend West Seneca schools. Should that tax be eliminated then?

The rink brings a significant number of visitors to West Seneca from October to April. Visitors from Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other WNY localities. These people spend money in West Seneca when they are here. Don't simply equate the pro-con debate to whether or not the users cover the entire cost of running and maintaining the rink.

That argument holds water if a private company was running the rink. A private company has to simply count on the revenue generated in the rink itself to make the decision as to stay open or close.

[Niagara]

From someone who spends 3 to 5 days a week in ice rinks year round, I of course vote "No". The argument of not funding it because you don't use it sounds selfish. I pay West Seneca school taxes but my kids don't attend West Seneca schools. Should that tax be eliminated then?

To someone who spends 3-5 days a week in ice rinks I would say tough nookies. You can not equate schools to public ice rinks as a right. They are not even similar. Schools do a public good by providing an educated citizenry (all be at it what cost), whereas ice rinks provide recreational activity available through the private sector. Neither I nor my family have ever used the WS Ice Rink, and I am tired of my tax dollars going to fund a money pit. And with regard to WS Ice Rink attracting prople from other states and countries, BS to that too. These few visitors do not make a difference in my life, so why should my tax dollars go to entertain them.

[wnyfuture]

From someone who spends 3 to 5 days a week in ice rinks year round, I of course vote "No". The argument of not funding it because you don't use it sounds selfish. I pay West Seneca school taxes but my kids don't attend West Seneca schools. Should that tax be eliminated then?

The rink brings a significant number of visitors to West Seneca from October to April. Visitors from Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other WNY localities. These people spend money in West Seneca when they are here. Don't simply equate the pro-con debate to whether or not the users cover the entire cost of running and maintaining the rink.

That argument holds water if a private company was running the rink. A private company has to simply count on the revenue generated in the rink itself to make the decision as to stay open or close.

Comparing schools to recreation activity is laughable.

If all the WS residents used the rink instead of kids from Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Niagara Falls. It's a shame kids get cut for non-residents.

The ice rink loses money every year. Why not tell the residents of Buffalo, Cheektowaga, NF, OP, etc pay WS taxes to keep the rink open. We as tax payers are funding a loser - in 04 it was around 500k, with the rising price of everything, I wouldn't be surprised it was close to a million.

Rarely do people/teams from PA and OH use the ice rink. Your "facts" about out-of-towners using our restaurants is laughable. How many times did teams from PA, OH, etc come to the rink?

[PaulJonson]

To someone who spends 3-5 days a week in ice rinks I would say tough nookies. You can not equate schools to public ice rinks as a right. They are not even similar. Schools do a public good by providing an educated citizenry (all be at it what cost), whereas ice rinks provide recreational activity available through the private sector. Neither I nor my family have ever used the WS Ice Rink, and I am tired of my tax dollars going to fund a money pit. And with regard to WS Ice Rink attracting prople from other states and countries, BS to that too. These few visitors do not make a difference in my life, so why should my tax dollars go to entertain them.

My house has never burned down and I have never had to call the fire department, so I think we should get rid of that too.

[wnyfuture]

My house has never burned down and I have never had to call the fire department, so I think we should get rid of that too.

1. We need the fire department
2. We need the police department
3. We need the hospitals
4. We do not need the ice rink, it's a luxury! Tell OP to build one, don't raise our taxes to fix the rink

[PaulJonson]

1. We need the fire department
2. We need the police department
3. We need the hospitals
4. We do not need the ice rink, it's a luxury! Tell OP to build one, don't raise our taxes to fix the rink

Shop it around and sell it to a private company and have them run it.

[WNYresident]

From someone who spends 3 to 5 days a week in ice rinks year round, I of course vote "No". The argument of not funding it because you don't use it sounds selfish. I pay West Seneca school taxes but my kids don't attend West Seneca schools. Should that tax be eliminated then?

The rink brings a significant number of visitors to West Seneca from October to April. Visitors from Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other WNY localities. These people spend money in West Seneca when they are here. Don't simply equate the pro-con debate to whether or not the users cover the entire cost of running and maintaining the rink.

That argument holds water if a private company was running the rink. A private company has to simply count on the revenue generated in the rink itself to make the decision as to stay open or close.

Maybe it does bring visitors but the truth is most "west senecians" don't benefit while everyone pays for it.

Maybe visitors come but only a select few own a motel where they may stay.

Maybe visitors come but only a select few own a restaurant.

Maybe visitor come but only a select few own a gas station.

Maybe there is a "trickle" down effect but why spend a "bucket" of money so you can get a "drip" of a return.



Other than that everyone else pays for thier use of the rink, road wear and traffic aggravation while very very few benefit from it.

[WNYresident]

My house has never burned down and I have never had to call the fire department, so I think we should get rid of that too.

No one ever died because there wasn't a hockey rink. Hockey rinks have contributed to broken bones, broken teeth, bruises and other assorted injuries. They have also contributed to acts of violence. Fire departments don't do that.