Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 22, 1995 TAG: 9503220090
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The rink would be built next to a $3.5 million, 3,000-seat gymnasium that will be constructed soon at the high school.
Roanoke Express team officials long have cited the need for a practice facility, saying the Roanoke Civic Center often is unavailable because the ice is removed for other events.
A group of private investors has begun negotiations with Roanoke County school officials to build the rink on school property.
Under the proposed deal, the School Board would provide the site. The investors, who have not been publicly identified, would pay for the rink and operate it.
The investors would give the school system 3,000 hours of free ice time a year and would build a 350-space parking lot that could be used by the schools.
School Board Vice Chairman Jerry Canada said Tuesday that the board might seek additional contributions in exchange for the use of school property.
There could be savings in construction costs for the new gymnasium and related facilities if they are built in connection with the rink, Canada said. The rink and gym could share some facilities.
``You might get more bang for your buck for $6 million [the cost of the rink and the gymnasium] than if you were just spending $3.5 million,'' Canada said.
The gymnasium will be financed with bond funds that were approved earlier by the Board of Supervisors.
It will be built south of Northside Junior High School, at the rear of Northside High. The rink would be next to the gym, and they would share the same concession area.
Canada said he hoped the gym would be finished by the next basketball season. But a more realistic completion date is September 1996, said Homer Duff, director of maintenance and operations for county schools.
Canada met with Northside parents and boosters Tuesday night to discuss plans for the rink. He said the School Board wanted to get their views before it proceeded with negotiations with the investors.
The parents had questions about the rink proposal, but most appeared to favor it. Based on the comments at the meeting, Canada said the board will continue the negotiations.
The rink would meet National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations for such facilities. It would have 600 seats.
Canada said it would be used for public ice skating, and that the investors plan a youth hockey program there, too.
The rink would have its own meters for utilities, so the schools wouldn't have to pay for electricity for making the ice and heating the building. ``They will pay the entire cost for their utilities and similar expenses,'' Canada said.
If the rink is successful and there is a demand for it, Canada said, the investors say they might be interested in building a second one.
The long-range development plan for the Northside athletic complex includes an indoor field house and aquatic center.
The proposed field house would have a 200-meter NCAA regulation track, nine basketball courts and nine volleyball courts. The complex would also include a multipurpose training area for aerobics, wrestling and weightlifting.
by CNB