GOLETA, CA – The Design Review Board (DRB) for the City of Goleta granted the Land Use Permit for the community Ice Skating Rink that is being built at Girsh Park.
This Land Use Permit approved the arena exterior elevations, landscape plan and site plan for the new Skating Rink. The non-profit Greater Santa Barbara Ice Skating Association (GSBISA) has now submitted complete design and construction plans to the City in order to obtain a building permit based upon this recent DRB approval. GSBISA’s “Ice in Paradise” Capital Campaign has raised $4.5 million in donations to date. $1 million is needed now to achieve groundbreaking in late 2012.
“With the exterior design approved we can now complete planning the interior. We’re looking forward to completion of the building permit process within the next six months,” said GSBISA President Kathy Mintzer after DRB approval. “Our design team and building committee has worked well with the staff at the City of Goleta and the DRB, who have both provided valuable input throughout the design review process. We think the final design is excellent.”
Ms. Mintzer also covered some key points about the project: “The ice skating arena will provide permanent low-cost public recreation serving youth, adults and families. We’re doing things like a state-of-the-art energy-efficient design, building an after-school homework center for student athletes, and including facilities for ice skaters and ice-sports participants with disabilities.”
GSBISA has strived to provide a strong foundation for the project, and has long sought to develop the most sustainable arena and provide the best economical operating model possible. The 1.3 acre site was donated with fully vested development rights restricted to an Ice Rink. Land and building will be owned by GSBISA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Positive cash flow from everyday operations is projected.
“In short, we’re doing our homework and collaborating with stakeholders like the City of Goleta to make the project the best it can be.” said Ms. Mintzer of GSBISA. “The Ice Skating Arena will be a jewel of the community that provides healthy recreation for generations to come.”
To make a donation, please call Ada Conner at (805) 879-1552 or visit Iceinparadise.com.
i am sorry and certain to be criticized for my views but this is a total waste of time, space, and money. something smells fishy about this entire project and am surprised that a handful of people could get this approved. there used to be an ice rink up on the mesa and that place went belly up due to lack of funding and use. i have lived in goleta since 1972 and never known anyone who is into ice skating. the kings winning the stanley cup probably had an impact on this decision. personally i would like the city to build more basketball courts so all youth (not just those with money) could participate in sports and it would also be nice to see some money spent to at least put scoreboards at the girsh little league fields. fans watching the all stars tourney at girsh don’t even know what the score is. anyway these are my views and are not intended to offend anyone.
James,
I thought I’d take some time to respond to your comment. Your sentiments are a somewhat common refrain that we have heard in our efforts to build the rink, but usually when people learn a little more about what we are doing, they tend to see the rink the way we do: as a great addition to the community for years to come.
Let me start by addressing a couple of misconceptions about the rink out there that have driven concern:
1. Funding: Vast majority of funding is private donations. Goleta did commit some money to the cause, but that was specifically from their parks and rec budget, so it isn’t taking from Schools or Libraries. To date, we’ve raised over 4.5mm dollars!
2. Appeal: The rink in Oxnard is actually doing quite well. Busy all week in the evenings and all day and night on weekends. Lots of figure skating, well attended open skating (I started taking my kids there this summer and they are loving it) and a healthy youth and adult hockey league.
3. The Ice Patch (the old rink that was on the Mesa) closed: The previous rink in SB was “for profit” and run in an old warehouse that didn’t make it sustainable. All new rinks are being designed to be much more energy and resource efficient. Also, it is my understanding that it started out being run b/c one family was interested in having a rink for their daughter to skate at. After she was done, they didn’t want to run it and sold the lot for offices. But ask folks around here if they remember skating there and you get a lot of smiles.
4. Youth/Disabled programs: As a non-profit, it’s much easier for the rink to solicit private donations to help out with these. Luckily for us, Santa Barbara has a host of civic minded donors who have been really supportive of these two groups that are being targeted by the rink Board. Check out some of the videos of sled hockey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfR9g0…). It’s really amazing. Hopefully, we’ll be a destination rink for tournaments (which might even bring a bit of tax revenue to the town!).
5. Indoor/Year-round activities: Outside of Zodos, it is difficult to name a few places for kids to go for structured indoor activities. There really aren’t a lot of them in town. Hockey, broomball, skating and curling are fun for all kinds of folks…and there are lots of folks in warm climates like Santa Barbara that love ice sports.
6. Support for sports: Most of the kids who go through the program might not end up as Pro skaters/curlers/hockey players, but the goal is to teach them to be part of a team, learn how to exercise and hopefully, put them on the track to leading a healthy lifestyle.
If anyone is particularly concerned with this project, please don’t hesitate to contact the Greater Santa Barbara Ice Skating Association to share those: [email protected]
come on goleta….you gotta be kidding me.
Ice hockey and roller hockey are actually big in Santa Barbara. The Kings winning the Stanley Cup may increase interest, but the interest was there long before the Kings won. Earl Warren has an outdoor roller rink that has league games throughout the week and weekend, and practice and pick up games over the weekend. UCSB has an indoor roller rink that supports several UCSB league teams as well as open skate and pick up games. There is a good number of Santa Barbara and Goleta ice hockey players that make their way down 101 to Oxnard to play in leagues and pick up. Similarly, there are plenty of figure skaters from our area that spend a good part of their evenings and weekends at the Oxnard rink. The pick up hockey players I skate with range in age from 14 to 63. I hope to practically be living at the new rink in Goleta. It will get plenty of use. My concern is getting ice time for our hockey league games and pick up games.