Photo Credit: Courtesy of White Township Parks
Agencies that program, operate, and maintain community ice rinks know how difficult it can be to make ends meet and put capital back into their facilities. It is no secret that ice rinks have an extremely high overhead in comparison to that of other facilities and require a knowledge-base that is exclusive in the recreation industry. Sadly, many rink professionals are committing the cardinal sin of ice-rink operations—cutting back or in some cases eliminating public sessions and entry-level programs.
There are three reasons why managers are cutting back:
1. Simplicity Of Operations
Public sessions and entry-level programs, such as learn-to-skate, learn-to-play, and house-league hockey, require considerable planning, a qualified staff, and a robust marketing plan. It is much easier to sell contracted ice time to hockey organizations and figure-skating clubs. Operations can be limited to a two-person crew with one front-desk employee and one maintenance/resurface employee. On the other hand, a public ice-skating session (assuming the turnout is high) may require five or more employees, including admissions, skate rental, skate guards, a snack bar (if the rink owns it), and a resurfacing person.