The Northfield City Council is getting closer to making what many hope will be a final decision on the city’s predicament with the Northfield Ice Arena, and finally put the situation to rest, one way or the other.
The ice arena has been a problem for the city for decades. It does not meet standards set by the Minnesota State High School League, despite being the home of the Northfield Raiders hockey teams, because there are no shower facilities in the locker rooms. It is not up to the code stipulated by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act because there are no accessible entrances, nor are their handrails on the stairways. There are holes in the ceiling, the building is in need of a new roof, and the ice-making equipment will soon have to be replaced because the ice making chemicals used by the current system were banned in 1989.
Mayor Rhonda Pownell said the city is faced with three options: they can build a new arena with a simple, one ice sheet design at a cost of about $21 million, they can remodel the current building at a cost that would most likely match the price of a new building, or they can close the arena and decline to build a new one, thereby eliminating the problem, but most likely also eliminating the Northfield hockey and figure skating programs as well.
The city has entered into a partnership with the City of Dundas, the Northfield Public School System and the Northfield Hockey Association, each agreeing to pay for part of a new arena. The School District has pledged $5 million as the main tenant of the building under a 20-year lease. The City of Dundas will make a contribution commensurate with the City of Northfield’s contribution, adjusted for population, and the Northfield Hockey Association has the land upon which to build the arena and they have committed to raising at least $2 million to put toward construction costs.
Mayor Rhonda Pownell said there have been options for a new arena in the past, most recently a 2018 referendum that voted down an opulent, two ice sheet arena, but the timing never worked out. This time, she said, the four-way-partnership that has been built takes some of the burden off of the taxpayers. In fact, she said, the city has never had a partnership like this for this purpose.
“There have been multiple opportunities over the years for us to address the needs of the ice arena and it was just never the right time. We hadn’t found the right partnership or the right model that the community could get behind. So now we’re working on this one and the Council will have that opportunity to give guidance to it.”
Mayor Pownell indicated that the Council would discuss the issue further tomorrow night during their work session and will most likely take action on the issue at the final meeting of the month on June 18th.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell and City Administrator Ben Martig can be heard here
Greenvale Ave will be closed for two days this week
With the 2023-2024 school year finished, the City of Northfield will begin the work on one of the higher profile road projects for the year. The Jefferson Parkway West Mill and Overlay and Mill Towns Trail Improvements could not begin until the school year was over, because Northfield High School, Bridgewater Elementary School and the Northfield Middle School utilize Jefferson Parkway as a major connecting thoroughfare.
The project, which begins today includes mill and overlay of Jefferson Parkway from Highway 3 to Highway 246, and the construction of a new section of the Mill Towns Trail along Highway 3 from Riverside Park to Jefferson Parkway.
Phase 1 of the project includes all of the work from Highway 3 to the east entrance to Roosevelt Drive. This phase includes the construction of a compact roundabout at the intersection of Jefferson Parkway and Jefferson Road. During this phase, residents will be required to utilize the east entrance to Roosevelt Drive and Jefferson Parkway to the east towards Division Street to access their properties.
Phase 2 of the project will include all of the work to be done from the east entrance to Roosevelt Drive to Division Street. During this phase, residents will be required to utilize the west entrance to Roosevelt Drive and Jefferson Parkway to the west towards Jefferson Road to access their properties.
The project is expected to be finished by August 31st.
A much shorter project will begin today as well. Greenvale Avenue between Manitou Street and Plum Street will be closed both today and tomorrow in order to install water utilities. Detour signs will be posted directing traffic to use Plum Street, St. Olaf Avenue, and Manitou Street.
A statement issued by the City of Northfield said, the city is committed to providing safe, clean water and quality infrastructure to all Northfield residents.
As always, the city urges motorists to always drive with caution, slow down in work zones, and never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.
School Board will wrap up business for the ‘23-’24 school year tonight
The Northfield School Board will meet tonight in the boardroom of the Northfield School District office building.
Among the items on tonight’s agenda, the School Board will receive a summary of the legislation that was passed during the recent Legislative Agenda that will affect the school district, and they will vote on a resolution to approve the bond referendum ballot language for the Northfield High School facility referendum that will be considered in November.
The Board will also consider a resolution establishing dates for filing affidavits of candidacy for the Northfield School Board.
Tonight’s meeting will essentially be the final of the 2023-2024 school year. The board will only meet once this month and once in July before resuming the every-other-week schedule in August.
The School Board will always invite public comments from those who live in the Northfield School District. Time for those comments is scheduled at the beginning of each meeting. Registration is required to address the School Board. Those wishing to do so may sign up beginning at 5:30 pm.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00
KYMN Daily News 6/10/24
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
