Revised Plans For A New Ice Rink Presented To Greenwich P&Z

GREENWICH, CT — Revised plans for a new Dorothy Hamill Ice Rink were presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday in a pre-application review, and they received mostly positive feedback from the community.

The pre-application process allows for a non-binding discussion with the commission about the pros and cons of a proposal before a substantial investment is made in developing plans, reports and studies.

The current rink was built in 1972 as essentially a slab of ice, and then built-up in piecemeal fashion which has led to disrepair over the years to the point that it needs to be replaced.

Previous plans called for building on a brand new footprint opposite the current site, but now the project calls for construction on the same location as the existing building at 1 Sue Merz Way.

To view pre-application materials and drawings of the plan, click here.

Opponents to the previous plans said a new rink would disrupt Eugene Morlot Memorial Park, and memorial trees that are planted there.

Greenwich Superintendent of Building Construction & Maintenance Alan Monelli said the new rink would be 40,500 square feet, with a 200 by 80 foot ice surface that's regulation size for youth, high school, college and the NHL. It's also the proper size for U.S. figure skaters. The current rink is 185 feet by 85 feet.

Amenities would include four locker rooms, individual shower rooms, a first aid area, place for refrigeration and electric equipment, Zamboni, public bathrooms and an office to run the building operations.

Parks and Recreation Director Joe Siciliano noted the rink would be used 11 months out of the year, as opposed to just colder, winter months, as is the case now.

Monelli said the current rink sits about six feet above the parking lot. Plans would roll a berm back to the south property line so that the new rink sits on field level and doesn't create any ADA impediments.

"We would definitely lower that to make the building more accessible to all residents of the town," Monelli said.

The nearby Straza Field baseball diamond would be rotated to get 300 feet across the entire outfield, which was recommended by SLAM, an architecture firm, and Major League Baseball.

If ultimately approved, the ice rink would be closed for three years due to construction.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said in his budget presentation last month that he removed money for the rink from his proposed spending plan to allow the Rink User Committee for Design and Planning to gain more public feedback and review the project scope.

Camillo said $950,000 is earmarked in Fiscal Year 2024 for design work, and $17 million is slated for Fiscal Year 2025 for construction.

Down the road, public/private partnerships figure to play a role in a new rink. Camillo said they would not affect public access or usage.

Community Feedback

The community offered positive feedback during the public comment portion of Tuesday's meeting.

Alan Gunzburg, chair of the First Selectman's Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities, and an advocate for accessability in town, praised Monelli wanting to level the building with the parking lot, which would eliminate unsightly ramps.

"He's taking a step, he's making a claim and he's saying for the Town of Greenwich that we believe in accessibility, we believe in inclusion, we believe in community and we're going to build a building that houses everybody," Gunzburg said.

Resident Mark Fichtel said he was concerned about the blasting that would be needed to level the ground.

"We live in an area where there was a lot of blasting about 10 years ago and we still have lawsuits flying back and forth from damage that was done," he said.

Fichtel also had concerns about traffic.

Monelli said the town is hiring a traffic engineer to analyze traffic conditions, especially during hockey games.

Bill Drake, chair of the Rink User Committee for Design and Planning, said this approach would close the rink for three skating seasons.

"Thereby it obliges the town to build rink number two to sustain programs for users. Rink number two has to be up and running before this one comes down," he explained.

Brett Atkinson, a Greenwich resident whose brother, Cam, plays for the Philadelphia Flyers, lauded the project.

"I think this is a great thing for our town," he said. "I think this is definitely a great opportunity for the younger generation, and I love the fact that this potential new rink will be open 11 months out of the year."

Lucia Jansen, who is chair of the Representative Town Meeting Budget Overview Committee, said she was concerned about the scope of the project.

She said more information needs to be shared on the reconfiguration of the baseball diamond, and the impact to trees and landscape.

"It seems to me we went from a rink replacement, to a reconfiguration of a park, which is far more than the scope discussed ever before," she said.

A formal application will be filed with Planning & Zoning in the future.