Ice Rink

The Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex is a 40,500-square-foot facility owned by the City of Hagerstown and operated by the Washington County Sports Foundation Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation. The ice and sports complex has a National Hockey League-size rink on nine acres in Hagerstown's Fairgrounds Park at 580 Security Road. Activities include adult and youth hockey, freestyle skating and public ice skating. Those interested in learning to skate can do so in classes at the rink.

HAGERSTOWN - The City of Hagerstown could reach an agreement with the Hagerstown Youth Hockey Association that would allow association officials to continue operating the Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex until at least mid-June. Association officials on Tuesday discussed the proposal with the Hagerstown City Council, whose members agreed to have the contract drafted for review during a later session. The agreement would let the association continue to operate the complex from Oct. 1 to June 15. During that time, the association would hold learn-to-skate programs and schedule times for hockey leagues and figure skaters to use the ice, said Jeff Barbour, president of the Hagerstown Youth Hockey Association.

After a decade of turmoil, troubled leadership, financial shortfalls and public criticism, it seemed there wasn't anything left that could possibly go wrong at the Hagerstown Ice and Sports Complex. And then the Zamboni broke down. About the same time, the city decided to terminate its contract with the group charged with managing the rink, the Washington County Sports Foundation. The rink closed this summer - city officials said it was a routine, maintenance-related closure, but there was speculation that without a dependable management group, it might never reopen as a skating facility again.

Iced! Family feels closing the rink would freeze out opportunity for kids To the editor: My daughters have spent the last year taking lessons at Hagerstown's ice rink. I have witnessed their confidence grow and their joy of accomplishment. Please do not shut down a place where children can go that is safe, helps their well-being and is enjoyable. My children love the ice rink. They were looking forward to taking lessons this fall. The instructors are wonderful and really care about the kids.

HAGERSTOWN - Pee Wee hockey rivals beware: The Hagerstown Bulldogs are back on the ice. Less than two weeks after the city announced the Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex would remain closed until a new group could be found to manage it, the Hagerstown Youth Hockey Association has volunteered - and been approved - to do the job. "We thought, if someone's got to do it, we'll do it," said Jeff Barbour, HYHA's president. Under an agreement reached Tuesday with the City Council, HYHA will operate the facility on a limited basis for the next six weeks, staffing it with volunteers for hockey practices, games and figure skating meets, city spokeswoman Karen Giffin said.

"I've just signed my $14,000 check to build a house in the county where I grew up. I guess that's the thanks that I get for going away to college to get an education and wanting to come back to live and work in the community where I grew up. It's truly a shame that our County Commissioners have to fund their lack of fiscal responsibility on the backs of new homeowners. It seems ridiculous that I must pay for the 'right' to build a new home on which I will be taxed, assessed, and then taxed some more for the rest of my life.

Editor's note: Each week, The Herald-Mail invites readers to answer poll questions on its Web site, www.herald-mail.com. Readers also may submit comments about the poll question when voting. Each Sunday, a sampling of edited reader comments will run in The Herald-Mail. There were two poll questions last week. The first question was: Should the city council continue to operate the Hagerstown Ice and Sports Complex as an ice rink or use it in some other way? "Are you kidding?

HAGERSTOWN - The Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex will remain closed until city officials can find another organization to manage the facility. During a Friday press conference, city Administrator Bruce Zimmerman said the city recently decided to terminate its contract with the Washington County Sports Foundation, the group that had managed the complex for the past 10 years. In the meantime, city officials will try to find an interim manager so the $2.32 million facility can open by mid-September, Zimmerman said.

The Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex will remain closed until city officials can find another organization to manage the facility. During a Friday press conference, city Administrator Bruce Zimmerman said the city recently decided to terminate its contract with the Washington County Sports Foundation, the group that had managed the complex for the past 10 years. In the meantime, city officials will try to find an interim manager so the $2.32 million facility can open by mid-September, Zimmerman said.