Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 26, 1995                   TAG: 9505260093
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

NORTHSIDE RINK IN JEOPARDY

The rink would be part of a complex that would include a new gymnasium for the high school, in addition to an auditorium and four more classrooms for Northside Middle School.

The School Board voted Thursday night to proceed with plans for the gymnasium, auditorium and classrooms without waiting any longer on the rink negotiations.

The board selected Motley & Associates of Roanoke to design the $3.3 million gymnasium and other facilities.

"We have run out of time. We have waited as long as we could," Chairman Frank Thomas said.

"We can't wait any longer if we are going to get the classrooms finished by September 1996.''

A group of private investors has been negotiating with the School Board since early this year to build the $2.5 million rink on school property.

Under the proposed deal, the 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 some hours of free ice time and reportedly during the private talks have offered some other benefits for use of the land.

Thomas said the investors and board have not agreed on several issues, but he would not identify the sticking points.

"This has taken more time than we thought, trying to mesh public and private operations together," he said.

Homer Duff, director of facilities and operations, said the school system's staff and construction committee recommended the hiring of architects now to begin designing the gymnasium and other facilities.

The School Board has not closed the door to a rink, Thomas said, but there seems to be less enthusiasm for it now.