I’m hoping that the Vernon Council has budgeted for maintenance to the Centennial Rink.
Although the skating season has now ended for the year, I saw many grandparents skating with their grandchildren on weekends during the winter months and witnessed first-hand how many young families used this little gem right in the middle of Vernon.
Weekends were crowded - shinny hockey was well attended as well as the other sessions.
In fact, this is the only ice available for a father to take his son or daughter to play shinny. All of this by the way at little or no cost for the kids and their families.
The rink itself, however, is in desperate repair – holes in the boards, broken and leaning boards, nails and screws projecting into the skating area.
I don’t believe they have put in new boards since the 1980s!
My fear is that the council will be telling the public that it costs too much to repair so the rink should be removed and turned into a parking lot.
Vernon has a history of disregarding necessary maintenance of our assets and then arguing the need to tear down and build a parking lot.
As an example, just look at the Civic Arena where very little maintenance has led to a building that is gone beyond repair.
Kelowna and Penticton have arenas that were built within 10 years of the Civic, and are still in excellent condition serving their communities.
I visited both arenas this year and had a difficult time remembering that both of them were of the same vintage as Vernon’s Civic.
Can we avoid the same mistake with the Centennial Rink, and use the summer months to do the needed repairs and maintenance?
Richard Simpson
Vernon