The roof of the 17-year-old Kiwanis Ice Arena is deteriorating. The town government will now be consider replacing the entire building rather than just the roof. (photo by Robert Ford)
“We’re in a unique position,” said Greg Chorvas, town of Saugerties superintendent of parks and recreation. The fabric membrane roof at the Kiwanis Ice Arena is slowly deteriorating, Chorvas told the town board’s May 17 meeting, and needs to be replaced. In another eight years, so will the trusses that support it, Chorvas said.
Chorvas said it would cost an estimated $260,000 to replace the roof.
Why not replace the whole structure now? The entire building, including the roof, could be replaced for about $510,000, Chorvas said.
The notable Saugerties sports facility would then have a 40-year lifespan. A new building could be metal, rather than the existing concrete-block structure. The ice rink would remain, but the entire structure around it would be replaced.
The present original roof had a 15-year lifespan. It’s now 17 years old. The building was constructed in 2000. The roof, Chorvas said, is beginning to break down. The next thing that will go is the roof’s fire resistance.
The roof’s support trusses have a 25-year lifespan. A new roof with the same fabric membrane and same 15-year lifespan will take the structure to seven years beyond when the trusses were designed to be used.
The Kiwanis Club and the parks and recreation department have been putting aside money in anticipation of needing a new roof. However, their funds are not enough to pay for a replacement building.
The parks and recreation department’s portion has come from the premium parking fees charged for special events at the Cantine complex such as the Garlic Festival, Chorvas said.
The town oversees the operation of the building. Should the town want to explore the possibility of replacing the current arena with a metal building, as Chorvas hopes it will, Chorvas expects to bring in a company to inspect the structure, including the roof, and provide a firm cost estimate. He said that inspection would probably cost about $4500.
A more formal presentation to the town is expected in the coming months.
The ice rink is another “cart before the horse” boondoogle that taxpayers have had to foot the bill for. If Kiwanis wants an ice skating rink then they should pay for it themselves. Kiwanis is a private organization, not an arm of the local government. The cost for replacement, maintenance and utilities should all be paid by the fees and monies it generates through its activities and NOT by taxpayers. If the rink cannot support itself then it should not come to taxpayers looking for a bailout.