Moscow council receptive to $1M for ice rink

MOSCOW — Moscow officials will examine the details of a potential commitment of $1 million toward the construction of a new ice rink on the south end of town after the Moscow City Council expressed support for the financial assistance at Monday night’s regular council meeting.

The city council pledged $1 million toward construction of a new facility in 2016.

With a revised plan in place, Palouse Ice Rink officials are asking the council to renew its $1 million commitment from the city’s Hamilton Funds. The funds are designated to be used for the benefit of children, as described in the will of Bobby Hamilton.

“We’re no longer talking about the what if, the some day, the wishful thinking,” Tony Mangini, vice president of the Palouse Ice Rink board, told the council Monday. “We actually have a plan and we have a location and we’re hopeful that the city will join us with this project and make the Hamilton Funds available to us.”

Ice rink officials plan to convert the former Northwest River Supplies building on South Main Street into a permanent full-sized ice rink. The Palouse Ice Rink signed a purchase and sale agreement with Bill and Donna Parks, who own the 44,000-square-foot structure, in early November. The rink would be called Parks Activity Recreation Center after the Parks couple.

Mangini, who also serves as chief financial officer at NRS, said the sale of the former NRS building is set to close Feb. 2. The goal is to start construction in February after the sale closes and open the new rink in October, but that construction depends on fundraising.

The Palouse Ice Rink board had been fundraising to demolish the existing ice rink at the Latah County Fairgrounds in Moscow and build a new $5 million rink in its place. But Mangini saw potential in the former NRS headquarters as an ice rink when NRS was moving out and into its newly built facility on South Blaine Street in November 2019.

Mangini said the remodel would cost about $3 million — $2 million cheaper than building a new facility at the fairgrounds.

“We’re going to be able to deliver, I believe, a nice facility, but we’re going to be very conscious of our spending as well,” Mangini said.

If the council decides to recommit the $1 million Hamilton Funds, the ice rink would need to raise $1.25 million to meet the $3 million construction goal. It has raised $750,000 in cash and pledges. Mangini said the first $100,000-plus corporate donation will be announced soon.

“This present group of ice rink people — board members and fundraisers alike — I’ve never seen such determination and I’m not worried about your 1.25 (million dollars). I’m really not,” Councilor Gina Taruscio said. “I think you’ll do it and I look forward to it.”

Tyler Palmer, deputy city supervisor of public works and services, said there are “relatively significant differences” from this $1 million request and the one the ice rink made in 2016.

According to a memo from City Supervisor Gary Riedner to Mayor Bill Lambert and the city council, some of those changes are that the proposed ice rink facility would be on private property rather than on public property at the fairgrounds, and the $1 million would be used for construction rather than capstone funding.

Palmer said he is optimistic that city and Palouse Ice Rink officials can come up with something that would meet the needs of both entities.

“I think one thing that hasn’t changed is this project is to me a perfect fit for the use of the Hamilton Funds,” Councilor Brandy Sullivan said. “It was then (in 2016) and that hasn’t changed.”

Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.