Mill Creek Park ice-rink

[jay]

The new ice rink is just slightly to the southeast of the warming house.

I'm not sure it is being used as much as they had planned.  I'll check again in the next day or so and report back.

[Towntalk]

And I meet people on almost a daily basis that would like to see more stores open up downtown, but we all know that that just ain't gonna happen in your lifetime or mine. I also talk to folks that would like to see our city rid of the riff-raff trash that has turned so much of our city into a crime/drug ridden war zone where it isn't safe to raise a family ...and yes Peggy that includes your "beloved north side". Even the west side is going down hill especially the lower west side.

I lived on the lower West Side during my high school years (on Halls Heights) and thought nothing about walking home late at night from my part time job, because it was safe, but judging from the news, that isn't the case today.

[jay]

I often meet people who want the ice rink to be reopened.  I believe it was build in the late 60's.

[Towntalk]

http://www.libraryvisit.org/library.aspx?id=4601

[penguinnick]

I know that Jay.  Has there been any news regarding the West Side Library?

[jay]

Mr. Penguin,

The former Mill Creek Park Ice Rink building is the warming house that Mill Creek Park wants to convert into the new West Side Library.

[AllanY2525]

Just a thought, but a cost-effective one:

In the interim, why not open a temporary, outdoor rink in Crandall Park?

They could set up a temporary pavilion (something portable that could
be disassembled and taken away later - say, a plastic of some type?)
and run a couple of kerosene powered "torpedo" style heaters to keep
it warm - them suckers will heat a barn in the dead of winter with no
problem, and they run for hours on a single tank of kerosene, while
using only a few hundred watts of electricity per hour.

The pond at Crandall Park is not very deep  and freezes solid quite
readily in the winter, with ice that is several feet thick... you could
literally park a truck on top of it - safely.

Another advantage would be the park's proximity to North Side
Hospital, just in case (God forbid!) someone were to fall and get
hurt, etc.

Another advantage to using Crandall Park would be the hill where
everyone likes to go sledding...

[penguinnick]

I thought the meeting went very well.  I certainly did not go in there with the expectations that the rink would re-open in a year. It will take time but I now know for sure that a lot of people ask MCP about the rink and would like to see it reopened.
My goal in writting the Vindicator letter to the editor (about the rink), attending this meeting, and calling the media was to galvanize community support for the rink.  I could not ask for anything more, as all tv stations were represented as was the Vindicator.  I am most grateful for Councilwoman Rimedio-Righetti for being there in support of the re-opening of the rink.  This is not just about an ice-rink, it's about community pride. From what I see, I like this Board and I believe they will look into it. 

[Towntalk]

Jay this should answer your questions.

[jay]

Questions

How did the Mill Creek Park Board react to idea?

Did the park's ice rink ever have one of those Zamboni ice machines?  If so, do they still have it?

[AllanY2525]

Mill Creek Park is outside the City Limits of Youngstown - I think it is the last
remaining vestige of what used to be Youngstown Township.  One of the reasons
that Mill Creek Park has stayed so beautiful over the decades is that the city
of Youngstown has no direct control over it, for this very reason.

I love the idea of an outdoor ice skating rink, but the Covelli Center already
has an indoor rink - a brand new one at that.  I would hate to see scarce
funds being invested into something that is basically redundant.

Crandall Park also has a pond to go ice skating on - I don't know if they
city still allows it, but the pond is there....I used to go skating there as a kid.

[Why?Town]

I do see how Mill Creek's issues could effect the city.

[jay]

Some people have been very critical of the park's administration over the last few years.   They feel that too many facilities within the city of Youngstown have either been closed or not properly maintained.

[Why?Town]

Mill Creek is a county park. The city's serious issues shouldn't have any bearing on the park.

[penguinnick]

Hello everyone,
A goal of mine is to see the Mill Creek Park ice-skating rink re-opened.  I'm hoping some of you will get involved in this endeavor.  If you have any interest in seeing the rink re-opened, please try to attend the next scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, February 8 at 6pm at the MetroParks Farm.  It's now eight years since the rink closed.  For at least 15 years before its demise it was known that the refrigeration system was outdated and needed a major overhaul, yet proper planning was never put in place to correct the problem. 

There is possible hope for the future.  Starting this year the number of park commissioners has gone from three to five with four of the five commissioners new to the board.  A new executive director is coming on board later this year.  It is my hope that the park commissioners and executive director go in a new direction and examine the feasibility of re-opening the ice rink.

I understand that Youngstown has serious issues and in the end an ice-skating rink is not as important as other issues the city is facing.  But make no mistake about it, this is not just about a closed ice rink – it's about community pride.  It's about saving the areas last outdoor public ice rink.  From Youngstown's perspective, I'm sure it would value the ice rink reopening, especially as a recreational venue for children. 

Mill Creek Park needs a plan and most likely a major fund raising effort to upgrade the rink will need to be launched.  Grants and state/federal aide plus good-old fashioned philanthropy would help in the effort.  I'm sure many individuals want to see the rink re-opened and that they would give substantially to the park for this purpose. 

I'm going to touch base with the media about going to the meeting.  If you can help out in this regards in any way that would be great.  I've talked to 4th ward councilwoman Carol Righetti and she is trying to get her constituents to attend the meeting.  She will try to attend herself.  I hope disgruntled individuals show up to voice their displeasure with the rink being closed.  The park commissioners need to hear our voices.

I feel this is a worthy cause.  Hope to see some of you on February 8.