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Minutes of a Meeting of <br />The North Olmsted Parks and Recreation Commission <br />October 2, 2006 <br />Page Seven <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Dailey said that, in the Master Plan, there is only one scenario that has no ice included, and that <br />was the one where the entire Rec Center was going to be renovated and the ice area was to be turned <br />over into an entire fitness area. The other plans had new or rebuilt rink components. The Westlake <br />plan does make things more interesting, there is no doubt about that. He spoke with the individual last <br />week who is building the facility. There will be two sheets of ice, brand new, opened in September of <br />2007. Mr. Garrity said it’s a done deal, and at no cost to Westlake; all the proposition needs is a go- <br />ahead from Westlake. Mr. Dailey now has an inkling of what percentage of people will leave because <br />of the new Westlake facility. There are many things to be considered, and North Olmsted must figure <br />out the best way to go with all of this. He did not know if the North Olmsted area could support two <br />brand new sheets in Westlake and something brand new or refurbished here in North Olmsted. It was <br />mentioned that perhaps Rocky River or Winterhurst was going to consider closing, based upon what <br />was going to happen in Westlake. Mr. Garrity’s only concern was this: he knew this was happening <br />months ago. If he knew what was happening, didn’t North Olmsted – and why didn’t the people in <br />North Olmsted go to Westlake and say that it already has a rink; we have room behind our rink; we <br />can offer you this…was that ever thought about? There was a rink here, at least to get going and, <br />from what Mr. Garrity understood, there is acreage in the back. Mr. Dailey said that when he talked <br />to the individual last week, he intimated that no matter what there would be a Rink put in Westlake no <br />matter what because there is a corridor coming right in off I-90 and they were able to do it cheaper <br />there than elsewhere. They knew they could get it done cheaper without the government being <br />involved. Mr. Garrity said that they don’t have to get the government involved; all they have to do is <br />get the government to lease the land, and it’s a done deal. It can be leased for $1. There seems to be <br />uneasiness in the Rink right now. He is willing to bet that 50% of the membership is Westlake, Avon, <br />and Avon Lake. Mr. Dailey said that officially, he could only say that the first he heard of the <br />(Westlake) Rink was when the article was in the paper a few weeks ago. There are always rumors <br />about someone’s going to do something – and many times it’s kept under wraps because they don’t <br />want North Olmsted stealing the brand new rink. He explained that North Olmsted has a history of <br />skating, that the North Olmsted Rec Department was the first with a Rink and a rich Hockey Program. <br />The kids all around the area come to North Olmsted, but it had been decided to go to Westlake. <br /> <br />Mr. DiSalvo said, to answer Mr. Garrity’s on support of the Rink, he knows for a fact that everyone in <br />the City is behind keeping the Rink. The only reason they showed the scenarios without the rink was <br />just to get a baseline. Mr. Garrity said that this is true, but the Rink is old, and the questions are old, <br />and it makes a lot of people nervous. Mr. DiSalvo said he understood; it makes him nervous, too. <br /> <br />Mr. Dailey said that it’s very possible that one of the plans will go forward, but that, realistically, he <br />did not know if North Olmsted will have another $7,000,000 to build a new Rink, which was <br />projected by the architects. Now North Olmsted must consider what is going on in Westlake. Again, <br />we must consider what we’ll lose and how we will be able to make it up. Is it still worth it to put that <br />Minutes of a Meeting of <br />Page 7 <br /> <br />