5.6. SR 05-02-2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item # 5.6. of MEMORANDUM 1VE'~ TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Lori Johnson, City Administrator DATE: May 2, 20 I I SUBJECT: Ice Arena Update Ice Arena Commission has recently been working on two projects, setting the 2011-2012 ice rates and the ice arena improvement project. Staff will be present at the Council meeting to provide an update on these items to the Council and to answer questions that have been raised. Please refer to the attached memo from Ice Arena Manager Rich Czech for more detail on both ice rates and the improvement project. Ice Arena Improvement Project On February 14, 2011, the Ice Arena Commission asked and the City Council approved engaging an architect to do preliminary conceptual designs for improvements at the Ice Arena. Rich Czech has been working with several members of the Commission and other affected participant representatives to assist Group 292 in developing the design. The Commission meets on May 4 to develop a recommendation to present to the Council. The attached memo from Rich Czech provides an update on the progress including several project designs. A lobby remodeling and expansion project is included in the 2014 Capital Improvement Plan at an estimated cost of $2.5 million. As you can see from the attached information, the estimated costs developed by 292 Group ranges from just under five million dollars to almost 8.3 million dollars. As the Council discussed in February, if this project is to proceed the near future, alternative funds such as contributions from youth hockey and the school district will need to be part of the financing package. When the Ice Arena Commission comes back to the Council with a design recommendation, an implementation plan, timeline, and financing options will need to be discussed in more detail. Ice Rental Rates Councilmember Westgaard recently requested more information about the process for setting ice rates. The Ice Arena Commission has always set rates with the understanding that the City Council has the final authority to change the Commission's recommended rates. Typically, both staff and the Commission have been in agreement on rates. Therefore, ice rates have been presented as part of the budget presentation; ice rates have not been a separate action item for the Council. The Council has never changed the rates