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City Council Minutes <br />March 5, 2018 <br />Page 9 <br />Councilmember Westgaard stated if the referendum failed, the estimated costs were <br />for improvements to existing buildings requiring extensive repairs and ADA <br />improvements. <br />Councilmember Olsen questioned if the funding could be broken into components. <br />He stated there are ADA issues at Lions Park Center needing repair. He also stated <br />he supports having dry land space because people want it. He stated repairs at other <br />facilities need to be included. <br />Mayor Dietz stated those projects could be dealt with later and the city should <br />prioritize the facility projects. He stated if everything is combined together the cost <br />will be too high and people won't vote for it. He felt the arena should be completed <br />first before decisions are made with Lions Park Center and the activity center. <br />Mayor Dietz stated he prefers to keep the arena at its current location. He felt a field <br />house was not needed because there is a new one in Ramsey. He noted the field <br />house portion of the previous referendum failed two to one, and the youth <br />organizations did not get behind supporting it. He stated people say they want <br />things, but maybe they don't. Mayor Dietz stated there is nothing wrong with the <br />Olympic rink other than the needed repairs. He questioned what the city would do <br />with the current arena if it is moved to a different location. He stated the school <br />district would want the property for cheap and why would the city want to give it up. <br />He stated if Council decides to add anything else to the arena at its current location, <br />then he could see infringing on the softball fields. He stated he is fine with the <br />drawing RJM handed out tonight and staying away from the softball fields. Mayor <br />Dietz noted people are commenting on Facebook that the city needs to add a third <br />sheet of ice, but statistics show youth hockey only rented 300 hours of ice time from <br />the Anoka arena this year, which equates to less than two weeks of ice time. <br />Councilmember Wagner stated Council should take some time and think about <br />everything discussed at the meeting tonight. <br />Mayor Dietz stated he is encouraged the two sheets of ice could be built for $15 <br />million. He noted the city does need to reevaluate Lions Park Center. He stated if the <br />city doesn't add rooms to the arena, maybe they could be added to Lions Park <br />Center. Mayor Dietz stated if everyone can agree to his $15 million plan and decided <br />not to go to referendum, the city can move forward quickly and get back on track to <br />start building late this year. <br />Councilmember Olsen stated his constituents feel the $15 million project would be <br />acceptable. He stated the city should retain the advantages it has and he prefers <br />keeping it at its current location due to proximity to the schools/amenities. He <br />expressed concerns with families moving to other communities if the city doesn't <br />improve its facilities. <br />Councilmember Wagner stated costs are still going to add up if the facilities are <br />separated. She expressed concerns with marketing because there would be no service <br />p 0 1 1 R [ I Ir <br />NATURE <br />