HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was a full house at the Town of Hamburg board meeting on Monday night to talk about proposals for the future of the town's ice arena and senior center.
Town Supervisor Randy Hoak told 7 News the town's ice arena at the Nike Base is in desperate need of repair and the senior center on Southwestern Boulevard needs to move because its lease is not being renewed after 10 years..
While Hoak believes the ice arena needs repairs and the senior center needs to move, Town Board member Frank Bogulski told 7 News he believes the best option is to build a brand new facility to house the senior center, ice arena and more.
Hoak said that would be too expensive and told 7 News he is already negotiating with the owner of an existing building in Hamburg to move the senior center within the next year.
Bogulski said he would rather have private investments for the ice rink instead of using money from taxpayers.
Students and parents of the Hamburg Hawks Hockey Team attended Monday night's meeting in hopes council members would approve the $7.5 million proposal to remodel the ice arena.
“Just do it, it may be a lot of money but it's absolutely worth it and just put it together I know you can do it,” said 11-year-old Berkley Lewandowski, a Hamburg Hawks Hockey player.
“I was in a mixed house league last year and so there was a whole bunch of boys and I was one of the only girls and I had to change with all the boys,” said Kyla Hinrahan, 12-year-old Hamburg Hawks player. “So I didn't want to change with the boys, so I had to go all the way in the hallway like really really far just to get to the bathrooms with all my equipment on and then carry it all the way back.”
David McDermott, president of Hamburg Hockey, said there are many mechanical issues as well.
“Our compressors are 50 years old. The cooling tower on the roof of the rink practically is held together with duct tape so the mechanicals are absolutely critical,” he expressed. “Our kids and the other users of the ice rink deserve better locker rooms and they deserve a modern upgraded facility.”
Hoak was standing side by side with the hockey team.
“I believe that this is a reasonable ask of the town board and taxpayers of the Town of Hamburg to approve this $7.5 million bond," he said. "I'm going to be voting in support of this bond."
Bogulski continued to stand by his plan.
“My thought is there are many private sector sporting complexes that are profitable and Hamburg should partner with some of these entities,” Bogulski said. “So that the burden for a community center is not borne by the taxpayers but it would be profitable for the town of Hamburg.”
The proposed resolution for the remodeling of the ice arena did not pass.
