Discussion:
Shakopee Youth Hockey Association (SYHA) is the City’s top customer for ice sales. Ice time which they use to offer Shakopee youth opportunities to pursue hockey development and competition as proud community representatives.
The Ice Arena has a premier dryland space rented by E-Train that includes a synthetic mini-ice rink. SYHA and Shakopee High School hockey players/teams keep a booked schedule training with E-Train on this synthetic ice. SYHA would like to cover the costs of converting an under-utilized ice arena space to additional dryland training space with a shooting tile surface (no ice skates) to focus on different skills development.
After extensive efforts exploring alternatives, it has become clear that the former turf storage room is the best available space for this proposed project - rather than the former 2nd floor conference room. The former turf storage is an under-utilized space with concrete walls and easy access for youth and coaches, while the upstairs room has been rented (with support from SYHA) to support Shakopee youth with a classroom/meeting/office type space in response to COVID changes.
In April 2019, the former turf storage was set aside in efforts to cultivate deeper partnerships with the figure skating community. The City re-purposed and installed materials from the former 2nd floor conference room (mirrors, carpet, cabinets) with the understanding that figure skating partners would step-up with significant investment for the space to be a quality training area for figure skaters. Now, it’s time to move on and activate this prime location for Shakopee youth rather than leave it sitting dormant or wait any longer for a figure skating partner to invest as stated.
SYHA requests endorsement from the Shakopee Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to move the request to Shakopee City Council for approval to proceed on project of conversion and installation of the former turf room on Rink 2 to begin 1 October, 2020 with no projected city cost and an estimated SYHA cost not to exceed $20,000.00
SYHA project proposal is attached.
RECOMMENDATION: PRAB support SYHA proceeding to City Council for project approval