Published: July 01, 2008 12:38 am            

CITY OF TONAWANDA: Council seeking ice rink grant

The City of Tonawanda Common Council on Monday approved a request by the mayor to apply for a state grant that would fund a portable ice rink.

The council met Monday morning to pass a resolution authorizing Mayor Ron Pilozzi to file paperwork for a state parks grant for an ice rink that the mayor says would cut down on water costs because the rink holds the water, rather than allowing it to leach into the ground like it does at Ives Pond, forcing the city to refill the rink.

There will be some grant matching through in-kind services, but, “there shouldn’t be any monetary, out-of-pocket cost for the city,” Fourth Ward Councilman Rick Davis said.

Pilozzi and Recreation Director Linda Foels are looking at a variety of locations where the rink could be placed, including Veterans Park, Ives Pond and Kohler Pool.

The city will not learn whether it is awarded the grant until sometime between next January and April. If awarded, the money would allow the city to purchase a rink through Genoa City, Wisc.-based NiceRink, which has been manufacturing outdoor portable rinks for 15 years.

NiceRink’s product was developed over the years by a plastics company that has been family-owned and operated since 1948.

        

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