Title
Consideration and Possible Approval of a Cover Structure Selection for the Los Alamos Ice Rink
Recommended Action
I move that Council support further development of a mono-sloped frame cover structure for the Ice Rink in conjunction with the programmed floor replacement.
County Manager's Recommendation
The County Manager recommends that Council approve the motion as presented.
Board, Commission or Committee Recommendation
On May 8, 2024, the Parks and Recreation Board (PRB) approved a recommendation of support for a mono-sloped frame structure for the Ice Rink to County Council.
Body
Over the years, the Los Alamos Ice Rink has experienced difficulty with maintaining a quality ice sheet particularly on the north side of the floor. Exposure of the ice sheet to direct sunlight during the early and late months of the ice-skating season is the most problematic. With these months bound between the beginning of ice making operations in the last week of October to mid-December, and from mid-January to the end of the ice-skating season on President’s Day in February, Ice rink staff is combating ice loss for 11 out of 19 weeks in the ice-skating season. Moreover, the refrigeration system or chiller undergoes accelerated wear and tear as it works extended hours at increased loads during the day to combat the loss of ice. The chiller and ice rink staff effort required to combat ice loss also results in inefficient energy use and extended work shifts. This problem has worsened over the years with the continual loss of tree cover on the adjacent canyon wall.
Members of the community have requested the use of a shade or cover structure as a possible means to address solar intensity impacts to maintaining ice during the challenging months and for other uses throughout the year. The County engaged in some early evaluations of options and rough order of magnitude (ROM) budgetary costs in 2004, 2011 and 2018. However, due to cost and budgetary concerns by Council at ...
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