HomeMy WebLinkAbout2.A. RAHA - Second Sheet of Ice4 ROSEMOUNT
CITY COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Work Session Meeting: March 11, 2014
AGENDA ITEM: RAHA — Second Sheet of Ice
AGENDA SECTION:
Discussion
PREPARED BY: Dan Schultz, Parks and Recreation
Director
AGENDA NO. 2.A,
ATTACHMENTS: Information Memo from RAHA
APPROVED BY:
0 OJ
RECOMMENDED ACTION: None, discussion only.
ISSUE
Staff recently met with members of the Rosemount Area Hockey Association (RAHA) to discuss
information about the growth they are seeing in their programs. RAHA also shared with staff information
regarding the amount of ice they are renting for the 2013 -2014 season. RAHA would like to discuss the
feasibility of a second sheet of ice in Rosemount that would also provide an indoor space for ice out
activities such as lacrosse, soccer, tennis or other indoor sports.
Included in the packet is information provided by RAHA regarding their growth and ice rentals.
This is a discussion item only.
RAHA Additional Ice Need
Background
• One of the primary goals of Rosemount Hockey is to keep hockey affordable for
all families while providing the same opportunities to all players at all levels.
Limited ice availability and driving long distances for practices challenge this
goal.
• It has become increasingly difficult to secure enough ice in Rosemount and
neighboring communities to satisfy our needs.
• Participation in Rosemount Hockey is increasing. The number of participants
increased by 11% over last season and 19% over the last two seasons.
• The RAHA in -house program (Mites, Mini -mites and U8 girls) participation
increased by more than 24% over last season. This season, 31 first year girls have
registered compared to 15 last season.
• Because of the increased number of girl participants this year, Rosemount was
able to separate from the combined Rosemount /Eastview girls traveling hockey
program (REV).
• For the first time, RAHA had to turn away Rosemount players at the Jr.
Gold/U16 level this season due to inability to secure ice to field a second team.
• Rosemount teams are having success at all levels and Rosemount is viewed by
other communities as a Hockey Community.
• RAHA is currently heavily dependent on The Pond. The Pond is a private
business that could choose to offer less ice to RAHA, increase prices, or even
close their doors which adds risk to our program. We have partnered well
together and feel that there is enough ice demand from RAHA and neighboring
communities to support The Pond and an additional sheet of ice.
Need
• Additional indoor ice sheet in Rosemount
o Multi-use facility (in- season hockey with off - season options)
o Year round use of one sheet for hockey / skating
o Indoor walking /jogging track around rink
o Summer use of one sheet for indoor lacrosse or other activities
• Other options: tennis, roller hockey, T -ball, track and field, soccer,
volleyball, etc
• Business Plan for development of an additional indoor ice sheet
o Request for city sanctioned development of a business plan
• City and RAHA partner to develop plan
Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 1
Benefits of additional ice to the Community
• Keep Rosemount families in Rosemount for practices and games
• Ability to host more and larger tournaments will bring people and economic
activity to the community. This season, RAHA drew teams from Canada, Reston
VA, Moorhead, Duluth, St. Cloud, Laverne and many more out -state
communities for games and tournaments.
• Option to provide opportunity for indoor lacrosse in Rosemount
• Include indoor walking /running track for community use
• More availability for open skating and Learn to Skate programs
• More availability for rec hockey and broomball programs
• Provide opportunities for Rosemount based youth programs such as AAA
Hockey, Clinics, Overnight Camps, etc. For example, there is a local AAA
program with twelve teams that purchased over 200 hours of summer ice outside
of Rosemount in 2013. This local program has over 300 participants registered
for their 2014 summer programs. The program would prefer to keep all ice in
Rosemount if it is available.
Current RAHA Community Support and Involvement
• Leprechaun Days Involvement.
o Try Hockey For Free events
o Street Hockey Tournament
o Parade participation
o Carnival participation
• Provide four High School scholarships
• Promote academic achievement for our athletes through the Academic
Excellence Recognition program
• Support the RHS Boys and Girls Hockey Blue Line Clubs
• Donation matches for several community benefits
• Fundraisers, donations and participation in numerous programs including: RHS
Wrestling program, sled hockey fundraiser, Defending The Blue Line,
Rosemount Foodshelf, etc.
Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 2
Player / Team Numbers
• Total players in RAHA
o This season: 509
o 2012 -13: 458
o 2011 -12: 428
o 2010 -11: 433
o 2009 -10: 415
o 2008 -09: 426
• Players by Age Level
This season Last season
o Bantam: 52 65
o PeeWee: 78 60
o Squirt: 95 99
o Mite: 85 85
o Mini -mite: 122 79
o Girls 12U: 14 16
o Girls 10U: 26 22
o Girls 8U: 19 17
o Jr. Gold 18 15
600
400
200
0
• Teams by Age Level Projection
This season Next season
o Bantam: 3 4
o PeeWee: 5 6
o Squirt: 6 7
o Mite: 6 7
o Mini -mite: 4 4
o Girls 12U: 1 1
o Girls 10U: 2 2
o Girls 8U: 1 1
o Jr. Gold 1 2
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Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 3
Number of hours of ice for RAHA
o Total Ice Acquired
• This season: 1300 hours (short about 300 hours)
• Last season: 1400 hours
• Next season need: 1800 - 2000 hours
o Purchased at RCC
• This season: 650
• Last season: 696
o Purchased at The Pond
• This season: 450
• Last season: 404
o Purchased outside of Rosemount (excluding tournaments)
• This season: 200 hours
• IGH (143) Drake (20) Hasse (9) Wakota (17) Other (11)
• Last season: 302 hours
• IGH (147) Drake (56) Apple Valley (45) Other (54)
* We went from 700 IGH hours in 2011 -12 to 150 hours in 2012 -13
o Comments on Ice Usage
• All traveling teams had several practices ending after 10:00 PM on
school nights
• All teams have 7:00 AM weekend hours. Last season, all teams had
6:00 AM weekend hours
• Teams unable to find practice time in weeks leading up to District
and Regional tournaments
o Hours requested by RHS for Hockey
• Boys Varsity / Junior Varsity: 163 hours
• Girls Varsity / Junior Varsity: 185 hours
o Hours used for other activities
• District 196 Icettes
• Learn To Skate
• Open skate
• Adaptive hockey
• Charity games
• Private party rental
o Outdoor ice usage
o Cost per hour for in- season ice:
• RCC: $185 IGH: $200 Pond: $198
• Hasse: $215 Wakota: $200 Drake: $165
Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 4
Open Questions
• How to partner with City
o Development of a business plan
o Does a YMCA in Rosemount introduce opportunities
o Private / Public partnership opportunities
o Location. RCC, YMCA, other.
o Funding Options
• Does RAHA put money into a facility, if so what does it own
• RAHA commitment to X amount of ice purchased each year
• Lacrosse commitment to X amount of hours each year
• Sponsorships
• Grants (Dakota Electric, local businesses, government, etc)
• Operations
o Management of rink. Similar to RCC?
o Operating cost for managing rink
o Financial impact of adding second sheet
Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 5
Things to do / Prep / Next Steps:
• Meet with Park and Rec Director Dan Schultz (done)
• Socialize with City officials. (in progress)
• Meet with past RAHA directors regarding previous board discussions on this
topic (in progress)
• Discuss with Rosemount Lacrosse leadership. Determine interest in indoor
lacrosse in Rosemount. (done)
• Review RAHA dryland proposal from 2011
• Kids water park
o Would like to see the demographic data gathered by the City as part of
proposal to move forward with the water park. Does this data support
the need for additional ice?
o Are there opportunities for RAHA with the replacement of the displaced
outdoor rinks?
• Gather information regarding ice in neighboring communities: new ice sheet
proposals, sheets per # of residents, sheets per size of association, etc.
• Check with Burnsville and Eagan regarding grants received for thermal heating
• Establish timeframe on next steps
o Establish need and present to City officials (in progress)
o Analysis and planning
• Demographic study, rink projects in other cities
■ Research grant opportunities
• Architecture design
• Estimate Construction Costs
• Estimate Operating Costs
o Communication and Partnerships
• Communicate updates to RAHA Membership
■ Rosemount City Officials
• Establish partnerships (Rosemount Lacrosse, DCTC, RAAA, High
School, YMCA ...)
■ Sponsorships
■ Grants
Last Update 03/06/2014 Page 6