Greenport Ice Rink's Future Uncertain As Costly Repairs Loom

GREENPORT, NY — In the years before the ice rink opened in 2004 in Greenport, village board members envisioned a place that would draw families and visitors to downtown during the off season, creating a magical place where memories could be made as the downtown streets echoed with music and laughter as the sun glinted off the ice — and also, where skaters might stop at local businesses for a hot cocoa or a meal during the winter months, bolstering the economy while lacing up for a spin.

In the years since, that vision has come to fruition — but now, the rink's future might be in jeopardy as costly repairs, estimated at about $200,000, might signal the end to the skating.

And, a solution pitched by Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, who has suggested working with Greenport Village to help fund the repairs via an intermunicipal agreement, has some crying out, claiming that other village assets, including the skate park, have received little or no help from elected officials.

According to Greenport Village Mayor George Hubbard, the ice rink, located on Front Street in Mitchell Park, will be open this year. However, he said, the rink is 18 years old, and the repairs are looming. The base mat needs to be replaced; the fasteners for the sides and glass are getting worn from setting up the rink and taking it down for storage each year, he said.

Hubbard said he plans to meet with the Southold town board Tuesday to discuss a possible plan.

Meanwhile Rena Wilhelm, who, along with other volunteers, have worked for months to help revitalize the village's crumbling skate park, has turned to social media to say she was blindsided by an offer by officials to possibly help the ice rink but not the skate park, which she maintains is a vital, year-round asset for young people.

"I can understand the frustration that some skate park advocates have," Russell said. "I have talked to some of them individually and I think they can see that the circumstances are different. I would hope people embrace efforts to keep all of our recreational assets active, and not just the ones important to them. The skating rink is used by a broad cross-section of people and is generally funded with user fees. That has to be a consideration."

Russell added that he hasn't even discussed the concept of helping out with the town board yet or even finished the research to see if the idea is legally possible.

"This isn't happening tomorrow," Russell said.

And, he said: "Let me add that efforts to support recreational opportunities shouldn't be turned into competing interests. I also don't want the town to have any role in decision-making such as relocating the rink or not. It's a nice facility for the community. I thought we could have a role in keeping it going. If there's no village interest, that's fine."

Hubbard said there has been a suggestion of moving the ice rink to Moores Lane, but the concept has not been discussed and it would not happen this year.

Wilhelm told Patch that Greenport Skate Park Inc., the recently formed 501c3, has a dedicated committee of very few individuals.

"We have been bending over backwards to bring attention to the state of disrepair the skate park has been in for over three years. We have taken on all the fundraising attempts ourselves as well as the physical labor and cost of repairs. We hosted three fundraising events this year alone and it has been an uphill battle, trying to shine a light on how important this park is and what it means to our local and nearby communities. I have said quite recently that I felt like I was talking to a wall."

The idea that the town might help the village save the ice rink "absolutely floored" her, Wilhelm said. "I applaud supervisor Scott Russell for bringing the conversation to the table regarding the ice rink, but I was stunned that despite the amount of help we have been requesting, our pleas have fallen on deaf ears."

She added that she does not believe Greenport elected officials have given thought to the "cost of basic repairs the skate park needed to prevent a child from serious injury."

It's the not-for-profit organization that is not only raising the money for those skate park repairs, but which is also doing the physical labor with the help of contractor volunteer, she said.

"At the very least, the village should have maintained and repaired the crumbling cement throughout the park. It is not just an eyesore, it is dangerous and sends a message that the skate park is of no significance to our administration," she said. "You want to throw $200,000 to a rink that was quoted as being viable only 12 days in 2022? Compared to cement for a park whose gates are open year round? It's insulting."

The bright side, Wilhelm said, is that the recent ice-rink topic can possibly "spark a real conversation about the so-called 'assets' that belong to the village that can be described as anything but. We are not deterred, however, and we will continue to work toward creating a safe and recreational hub for our kids."