Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
The neighbourhood ice rink at Patricia Circle is to be torn down.
The rink, owned by Trans Mountain, is 鈥渋n need of substantial repair and ongoing maintenance鈥�, said the company in a letter to residents.
鈥淎fter a careful assessment, we have determined the rink is no longer suitable for continued use and should be removed.鈥�
The company made clear in its letter, which was also submitted to the municipal council, that this work is not related to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.
The ice rink was built decades ago, at least 20 years, as an amenity for Trans Mountain employees living in Jasper, as they have employee housing in Patricia Circle.
Rich Potter, owner and broker at Royal Lepage Summitview Realty, manages seven units there.
He said in an email: 鈥淭hat rink is a very old asset that is a huge liability concern for them should anybody hurt themselves using it.鈥�
Potter said Trans Mountain officials felt that they should not be encouraging its use any more by flooding it annually - and did not flood it last year for that reason.
鈥淚t was in significant disrepair and they would have needed to pour a lot of money into it to make it usable,鈥� said Potter, 鈥渁nd then would still have had to have it kept up over the years and then still have the liability concern.鈥�
While the rink was technically for Trans Mountain employees, the company did not limit the rink鈥檚 use and it was 鈥渕ore or less open to all鈥�.
Potter said it is harder for a private company to maintain an asset like that used by the public, and liability and old age were Trans Mountain鈥檚 biggest concerns.
He added that there are no plans to do anything with the area where the rink stood. It will stand empty and is likely to be grassed over.
During the course of this work, there will be construction equipment and vehicles, and workers onsite, increased activity and intermittent noise, and additional directed lighting at the worksite.
