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MINUTES OF THE <br /> ORONO PARK COMMISSION <br /> Monday,July 1,2019 <br /> 6:30 o'clock p.m. <br /> 3. MUNICIPAL ICE RINKS <br /> Meyers noted the City installed an ice-skating park at Crystal Bay Park this last winter but things did not <br /> go as well as expected due to the ground being uneven and the inclement weather. Meyers stated in order <br /> for the City to do a skating rink correctly, it should have a warming house, lights, a big rink, and <br /> equipment to maintain them properly. <br /> Meyers stated in his opinion the City does some things very well and some things should be left to people <br /> who do them better than Orono does. Holbrook Park in Long Lake is a very nice skating rink as well as <br /> Klapprich Park in Wayzata,both of which are close by. Since Orono does not have the necessary <br /> equipment to maintain the rinks, it should not be in the ice-skating rink business, and that more people <br /> have expressed a desire for using the golf course as a sliding venue,which would be unique to Orono. <br /> Meyers stated he would propose the Park Commission recommend a moratorium on skating rinks. Orono <br /> currently has three sites that are used for ice skating but there has not been a huge ground swell of people <br /> demanding skating rinks. If people come forward asking for them,the Park Commission can revisit the <br /> issue, but in his view the money would be better spent on other things in the City. <br /> Carter stated that was a good summary of the discussion at the work session and that the conclusion was <br /> not to have skating rinks. If the residents express a desire for having an ice-skating rink in the future,the <br /> City can look at that closer. <br /> Klaahsen indicated she is in agreement. <br /> Johnson stated he is mystified why the topic even came up since no one has ever approached the Park <br /> Commission asking for one. Johnson stated he would welcome any citizens to come forward, but there <br /> are a lot of other things the Park Commission could address. <br /> Hudson stated Long Lake and Wayzata do a great job and those rinks are close by. Even if Orono buys <br /> all the equipment for an ice-skating rink,they cannot control the weather, and that he would prefer to <br /> leave it to Long Lake. When Hackberry Park was closed,the City received one complaint, and if the <br /> ice-skating rink at Casco Point is closed and all of a sudden people say they don't have another option,the <br /> Park Commission could revisit this issue,but that no one is coming forward at this point requesting them. <br /> Ruegemer commented in her view the City should not be adding ice-skating rinks, but that Casco Point is <br /> strictly for ice skating and that she and her family use it along with other local residents. Ruegemer stated <br /> ice skaters like to go places where there is not hockey and that she would not be in favor of closing Casco <br /> Point and that it does not make any sense to just leave that space unused. <br /> Berg asked if the consensus at the work session was not to have any skating rinks. <br /> Ruegemer noted she was unable to attend the work session because she was out of town. Orono does not <br /> have a lot of activities to do in the winter and they should not be taking away an option that has been <br /> available in the past. Ruegemer commented not everybody has lakefront property where they can skate <br /> on the lake and that it does not make sense to take that away as a winter activity since it is being used. <br /> Page 2 of 8 <br />