Waconia's arena on thin ice.. Build it and they will come?

[lefty76]

Waconia's $6 million hockey arena on thin ice. Interesting article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/8 ... :_Yyc:aUUr

What can the Hockey Association do?

[Fire and Ice]

Dumb question did they need to spend 6 million? Many nice stand alone rinks for 4 million

[defense]

blank

[WayOutWest]

Waconia's $6 million hockey arena on thin ice. Interesting article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/8 ... :_Yyc:aUUr

What can the Hockey Association do?

The Waconia hockey association is pretty small. It was a stretch to build the rink based mainly on that small of a group in the first place. The high school even had to drag up four freshmen, this season, just to fill out a Varsity team, and they struggled mightily. The numbers just aren't there. (and next year, they are planning on adding a JV? Wha..??? )
Now, it is just laughable that the association is balking at a contract that they signed a year and a half ago? Did you not KNOW what you were signing?? Did you read the contract?? You can't blame the city for holding the association responsible for the contract they signed. The association wanted the rink built, they knew the cost, and now they are suddenly upset about it.
And that rink IS a big financial burden on the residents, and it benefits a VERY small percentage of folks in the area. You won't find much public support for a bailout of any kind, either.
If the association fails, that will be very sad for the kids involved. If the association fails, will the rink need to shut down? That would be a HUGE white elephant for the city, and again very sad. There has been some very obvious mismanagement of planning and finances, here.
Think long and hard about who you are electing to association positions, Waconia. Or, is it just too late to even think about that, now?

[SWPrez]

Can't disagree that the association is on the hook....

But why in the state of Minnesota do our communities build gyms, baseball diamonds, football turf, soccer complexes, athletic centers, community centers, that are virtually free of charge and utilized by a limited number of people - but hockey rinks need to be fully funded by the users?

Hockey is part of our cultural fabric. Why aren't local governments subsidizing it like they are subsidizing all of the other facilities that have a limited number of users?

This same thing happened to the Edison Hockey association in Northeast Minneapolis....and basically ended hockey in Northeast Minneapolis.

[WayOutWest]

Can't disagree that the association is on the hook....

But why in the state of Minnesota do our communities build gyms, baseball diamonds, football turf, soccer complexes, athletic centers, community centers, that are virtually free of charge and utilized by a limited number of people - but hockey rinks need to be fully funded by the users?

.

Hockey rinks have to be far more expensive than any of the other facilities you mentioned. And public accessiblity to the other facilities is far greater. Gyms are incorporated into schools, where they are utilized for classes. A lot of the rest of the facilities are easily accessed by the general public, at no additional cost. (I can find a clear baseball diamond nearly anytime I want, and go hit balls around.) Try getting free ice at a hockey rink at no cost to you.
A hockey rink is one thing. Communitles DO build them.........outside......and they are very much accessible to the public.
Long ago, outdoor hockey became unacceptable to hockey associations, though. The kind of hockey rinks we are talking about are mini-stadiums, that require far more operational costs than just a regular flooding in the winter months. (or a mowing, for baseball diamonds, football, and soccer fields.) The associations drove the "need" for indoor games, for all ages. Therefore, it only makes sense that they should pay for them.
A city can "throw in" an outdoor rink. If you want something nicer, you'll have to pony up.
All that being the case, it is more than a bit odd that one small association drove the effort to build the Waconia rink. In this case, if the WHA didn't push for this, there was no way that this rink would have been built.
But, if the city was satisfied with the contract, such that it was enough to keep the rink afloat, AND the hockey association signed it, that is certainly fair enough.

[observer]

It does need to benefit the entire community and that is why some are called community centers and have gyms and are used for square dancing, auto auctions, school graduation ceremonies, weddings and everything else. I mention those things because I saw them on a rental sign at the LeSueuer Community Center.

The St. Francis plea for a rink caught my attention as well. They have something posted on their Web site a poster mentioned. It shouldn't be on the St. Francis Hockey Association Web site ( it should be, but not only there) it should be on the St. Francis Community Web site, fund raising for a new St. Francis Community Center that will include an ice arena for open skating, figure skating, curling, birthday parties, dances and anything else you can think of. It has to be something the entire community can get behind. Pool, Health Club, etc.

Good luck to Waconia and St. Francis. Arenas are important facilities for the entire community. Certainly gets more usage by some but that's a benefit to the entire community too. Part of community pride.

[WayOutWest]

Waconia's $6 million hockey arena on thin ice. Interesting article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/8 ... :_Yyc:aUUr

What can the Hockey Association do?

Where are the association heads? I know they troll this forum. If you are even just a Waconia city resident, you are due some answers. This rink dropped a hefty tax load on the residents, and if it becomes insolvent because of the association's inability to honor their contract, there will be some tremendous angst generated.
This entire project has been a bit clandestine. The residents did not approve it by vote, and it appears as though the association somehow blew enough sunshine up the city administrators...........noses............to make them believe they could support it......indefinitely. And now, a year after opening, the association is already signaling that they cannot afford the contract anymore? They couldn't see that coming?
Shameful, shameful stuff here. (and I am not lettting the city officials off the hook, either. Nice work, Waconia.)

[WayOutWest]

Waconia's $6 million hockey arena on thin ice. Interesting article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/8 ... :_Yyc:aUUr

What can the Hockey Association do?

Update on the Waconia hockey scene:

I attended the home opener Waconia H.S. varsity game last night, and it was downright sad. Mere months ago, the school was actually considering fielding a JV squad. I have no idea what made them think they possibly had the numbers for such. EVERY kid in 10th-12th grades that went out for hockey, made Varsity, this year. The team has 2 seniors and 2 juniors. The remainder of the team is entirely sophomores. They dress one goalie only. (God forbid the kid gets hurt or sick.) And, they basically roll two lines only. This might be the saddest varsity squad in the state.
Obviously, it is not the kids fault. They are playing their hearts out. It is not the coach's fault, for he is doing what he can with what bubbles up. This is a Waconia Hockey Association issue. The high school has approximately 1000 kids in it. You only generated enough inspiration in the sport to lure 2 seniors and 2 juniors to play? Oh my.
WHAT the HECK is going on with Waconia hockey?
(By the way, they lost that home opener to Mankato West, 10-1, with running time nearly the entire 3rd period.)

[popeye]

You start building the program somewhere.

[observer]

You start building the program somewhere.

Not somewhere. 30 new mite boys and 20 new mite girls is the target for Waconia this season.

Can someone please report the number of new mite boys and girls at Waconia this season?

[black sheep]

i think this is common "get it while u can" mentality. You see the same issue around the state that build new schools...then are finacially tapped for years to come. And in most cases for no real good reason.

you don't need a palace to play good hockey. they would be better of with 3 cheesy arenas than one palace...works in a lot of places.

[Defiant]

Waconia's $6 million hockey arena on thin ice. Interesting article

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/8 ... :_Yyc:aUUr

What can the Hockey Association do?

Update on the Waconia hockey scene:

I attended the home opener Waconia H.S. varsity game last night, and it was downright sad. Mere months ago, the school was actually considering fielding a JV squad. I have no idea what made them think they possibly had the numbers for such. EVERY kid in 10th-12th grades that went out for hockey, made Varsity, this year. The team has 2 seniors and 2 juniors. The remainder of the team is entirely sophomores. They dress one goalie only. (God forbid the kid gets hurt or sick.) And, they basically roll two lines only. This might be the saddest varsity squad in the state.
Obviously, it is not the kids fault. They are playing their hearts out. It is not the coach's fault, for he is doing what he can with what bubbles up. This is a Waconia Hockey Association issue. The high school has approximately 1000 kids in it. You only generated enough inspiration in the sport to lure 2 seniors and 2 juniors to play? Oh my.
WHAT the HECK is going on with Waconia hockey?
(By the way, they lost that home opener to Mankato West, 10-1, with running time nearly the entire 3rd period.)

So east might have a chance when we play them?

did not waconia split with holy family a few years ago? HF has a lot of kids, is this where they all went? i remember waconia having a good team last year, and the arena is great, but 6 mil? where did it all go?

[WayOutWest]

So east might have a chance when we play them?

did not waconia split with holy family a few years ago? HF has a lot of kids, is this where they all went? i remember waconia having a good team last year, and the arena is great, but 6 mil? where did it all go?

Oh yeah, East should be just fine against them.
When the HF/Waconia split occurred, Waconia had about 60% of the kids on the squad. Now, the smaller of the two schools is doing better than the larger. Go figure.
In a couple of years, when the current sophomore crop reaches their senior year, Waconia might be competitive. Until then, it is going to be a struggle.
And the arena is okay. It is very much utilitarian, for 6 mill. There are very few things in the way of frills in that rink, though it is..........functional.

[C-dad]

So east might have a chance when we play them?

did not waconia split with holy family a few years ago? HF has a lot of kids, is this where they all went? i remember waconia having a good team last year, and the arena is great, but 6 mil? where did it all go?

Oh yeah, East should be just fine against them.
When the HF/Waconia split occurred, Waconia had about 60% of the kids on the squad. Now, the smaller of the two schools is doing better than the larger. Go figure.
In a couple of years, when the current sophomore crop reaches their senior year, Waconia might be competitive. Until then, it is going to be a struggle.
And the arena is okay. It is very much utilitarian, for 6 mill. There are very few things in the way of frills in that rink, though it is..........functional.

Why did they build it with the scorer's bench/penalty box between the benches? Hasn't that been against USA Hockey regs for a while now? I like how you have to climb over a wall to get to the scorer's bench.

[defense]

Ya'll think that Waconia and St. Fancis is the only one???
Start googling Fergus Falls hockey arena.
Check some of it out at www.fergusfallsjournal.com.
While reading this I thought that I was looking at a thread on the Fergus Falls arena only two years from now...same deal. NO vote was administered to the community....hockey association had inroads to the city council... and now all of a sudden the city of Fergus Falls is on the hook for 4 million dollars of a 7 million dollar arena.... check it out.
NO Otter hockey fans...not every Otter hockey supporter is in support of the new hockey rink...I even have a kid and soon kids involved.
Last year when this thing really got serious...we had approximately 34 boys AND girls participating in the MITE program.....this year at least a few MITES have been put in SQUIRTS...... I'm not against it...but...if we have good enough numbers.....we aren't going to pull mites up to squirts....
O, they will point out the condisation or "roof leaks" in the satalite rink... they will point out the snow that comes in around the rink....they will point out doors that they say do not work anymore.....etc.... my question is: where has my money, and my parent's money gone???? the city of Fergus Falls rents the building from Ottetail County, the FFHA rents it from the city...I played hockey for 8 7years, my oldest is on his 4th year.....NO HAS FIXED THE LEAKS??????? IN #) YEARS NO ONE HAS FIGURED OUT THAT THE EXHAUST FANS IN THE RINK NEED TO RUN IN ORDER TO GET RID OF THE WATER DRIPPING FROM THE ROOF????? NO ONE HAS FIGURED OUT THAT DOORS DO NOT LAST FOREVER??????
No Waconia...you are NOT alone.
Do a little looking, you will see. Fergus Falls is getting a new hockey arena, residents want it or not, it is coming. The thing may sit empty in 10 years, it will be there. Did I mention that 2 of the 4 council members up for election lost....they wanted a new rink.... the 3rd one always opposed it....the 4th got back in on a re-count .......and was a benificiary of having 3 people run for his seat....winning by a total of about 4 votes.
Yes, Fergus Falls will have a new rink. It will likely be the home of the Fergus Falls/Breckenridge Wahpeton/Perham/Wadena Deer Creek hockey team...but it will be there...it will NOT have better locker rooms... will NOT be OWNED by the hockey association...nor will it add to the membership of the organization....but it will be there...... I feel you Waconian....trust me...I do....