I first heard about the possibility of an ice rink in downtown Redmond around mid-November, by the end of November the Redmond officials had voted for it, and it appears that it will be ready by Dec. 30, 2010.
I heard that Bend had the same idea. They've had three city council meetings trying to decide whether they should have a preliminary study about the possibility of contemplating the speculative notion of thinking about hiring a real study to perhaps look into future of maybe doing a winter ice rink.
But first, they want to apply for federal, state and county grants. Until then, they've designated 200,000.00 of the general budget to pay an outside expert to find out which research group they should hire to look into the preliminary study about the possibility ..... see above.
One city council member has already mentioned that he thinks it's foolish and shortsighted to only have a winter ice rink. They could build an enclosed building for the summer months, perhaps turn it into a skateboard park. But it has to be wheelchair accessible, he said. We don't want to go through that again!
Why do only skating type sports, asked another city council member. There is a minor league hockey team from Moose-saskatchewan, Canada, that is looking for a new home. All Bend has to do, is guarantee the first five years of revenue for the team.
A third city council member piped up. Slow down. If we are going to build this thing -- let's do it right. We can use our eminent domain and tear down the buildings on Bond St. and build a world class stadium. Imagine, baseball and football and basketball -- and then, when we have our four year university out at Juniper Ridge, we can let the local college team use the stadium.
It should be an attractive stadium, said the first council member. We should hire an important architect.....
I left the third meeting around then. I hear they're having another meeting in a couple days, to schedule a tour of downtown stores to decide which ones Bend doesn't need anymore. Be sure and join the process.
Me? I'm going ice skating in Redmond. I can't wait. And apparently, I won't have to...
I heard that Bend had the same idea. They've had three city council meetings trying to decide whether they should have a preliminary study about the possibility of contemplating the speculative notion of thinking about hiring a real study to perhaps look into future of maybe doing a winter ice rink.
But first, they want to apply for federal, state and county grants. Until then, they've designated 200,000.00 of the general budget to pay an outside expert to find out which research group they should hire to look into the preliminary study about the possibility ..... see above.
One city council member has already mentioned that he thinks it's foolish and shortsighted to only have a winter ice rink. They could build an enclosed building for the summer months, perhaps turn it into a skateboard park. But it has to be wheelchair accessible, he said. We don't want to go through that again!
Why do only skating type sports, asked another city council member. There is a minor league hockey team from Moose-saskatchewan, Canada, that is looking for a new home. All Bend has to do, is guarantee the first five years of revenue for the team.
A third city council member piped up. Slow down. If we are going to build this thing -- let's do it right. We can use our eminent domain and tear down the buildings on Bond St. and build a world class stadium. Imagine, baseball and football and basketball -- and then, when we have our four year university out at Juniper Ridge, we can let the local college team use the stadium.
It should be an attractive stadium, said the first council member. We should hire an important architect.....
I left the third meeting around then. I hear they're having another meeting in a couple days, to schedule a tour of downtown stores to decide which ones Bend doesn't need anymore. Be sure and join the process.
Me? I'm going ice skating in Redmond. I can't wait. And apparently, I won't have to...