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March 10, 2026 St. Anthony Council Work Session - 2 <br />Ice rinks typically open in late December and are staffed with part-time seasonal rink attendants. The <br />operations of the ice rinks vary each year based on weather, season duration, and staffing levels. <br />Community interest in the outdoor rinks remains strong. Staff typically begin receiving inquiries in early <br />November regarding rink opening hours. Each year, the middle school uses the Central Park rinks for a <br />day activity with approximately 200 students using the rink, which is not reflected in the skating counts <br />summary. <br />Each ice rink facility is staffed with six seasonal rink attendants, for a total of 18 across the three parks. <br />One attendant is assigned per shift, per warming shelter, per day. The hours of operation were <br />reviewed. <br />Ms. Morello reviewed setup, installation, ice creation, ongoing maintenance, and water usage. A chart <br />showing the 2016-2026 reported skaters was provided for Council review. <br />Councilmember Randle stated there seems to be good usage at the ice rinks. Is it being considered to <br />close some of the rinks? Mayor Webster stated the Council is requested to review the data to decide if <br />the number of rinks should be modified. Councilmember Randle stated that if an ice rink were removed, <br />residents may want a dog park. <br />Mayor Webster stated that at Emerald Park, when the rink is removed, an attempt is made to grow <br />grass for other uses. <br />Councilmember Elnagdy asked why we need 6 rinks for this small community. She thinks Central Park <br />needs to remain due to high usage. Does it make sense to sustain 6 rinks of ice over the long-term? It <br />would make the most sense to re-purpose the rink area at Silver Point Park. Our resources should be <br />aligned with demand. She noted some flooding issues with the baseball fields at Silver Point Park and <br />would like to see consistent use. She would like the 2nd t-ball field to move to another location. <br />Mayor Webster stated there may be parking issues with an impact on the neighborhood. She stated <br />removing the rink would lessen the impact in the winter. The safety issues would remain in the summer. <br />Assistant City Manager Morello stated that if the ball field were moved, the traffic conditions would <br />increase. <br />Councilmember Randle stated that the fields were flooded many years ago, also. Councilmember <br />Elnagdy suggested that if the rink was removed, the second ballfield would be shifted. <br />Councilmember Doolan stated the Parks Commission has been talking about dog parks due to resident <br />requests for quite a while. In looking at long-term climate change, there may be less demand for the <br />rinks. She suggested looking at other amenities that are more reasonable in the long term. The <br />Minneapolis Park Board is looking at closing rinks. <br />Councilmember Randle stated that we cannot remove all ice rinks in the City due to climate change. This <br />is an overreaction. Other Cities are much larger with more ice rinks. The kids need a place to practice <br />and skate. Mayor Webster stated the teams practice at Ramsey County indoor rinks. He does not feel 6 <br />4