Dennison officials reviewing outdoor ice rink proposal
DENNISON (WJER) (Jan. 24, 2023) – The village could be getting another wintertime attraction.
Mayor Greg DiDonato has asked the finance committee to review a proposal for a seasonal ice skating rink on the corner of Grant and Fourth, next to the gazebo. It would cost the village just under $130,000, although DiDonato thinks they’ll be able to bring that down with discounts and in-kind donations.
“The pure cement just to buy it down there is estimated I think $13,000 and something. So in the past, you know Stocker has been great about helping communities when it comes to parks and all that, so we’ll go down and we’ll see. You know, will he sell it to us for half price.”
He says he wouldn’t be opposed to taking out a loan if they can get the cost down to $70,000 or so and selling sponsorships to cover the payments.
“I’ve already had seven, eight people tell me that they looked at this, to get back with them that they’re willing to sponsor. People look at this as a family event, something for the kids to do. I’ve been stunned at the reaction to this thing.”
The proposal is from the company that opened a seasonal ice rink in Cambridge last winter. DiDonato says he and Councilwoman Helen Borland were impressed when they visited it the weekend before last.
“And 15-percent of the users in Cambridge are coming from Tuscarawas County. During the holidays, they were getting 300 to 350 people on Saturdays and Sundays. They run down there Thursday through Sunday, after school 5 to 9.”
The company has offered to build, operate and manage the rink if and would collect 67-percent of the net profit. DiDonato says that doesn’t include sponsorship and advertising dollars which would all go to the village.