Ice rink supported

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 482, 20 April 1993, Page 3

Ice rink supported

by Dennis Beytagh The proposed Ohakune ice-skating rink project is on track and, with some initial financial help to fund a proper feasibility study expected from the New Zealand Department of Labour's Community Employment Group Scheme (CEGS), some real progress can now be hoped for. Application was made to CEGS about three weeks ago to fund a feasibility study and, beI cause the ice-rink will | greatly enhance staff emI ployment opportunities 1 both within the rink complex itself as well as in its down-stream effects in the community, it is : expected the application | will be viewed favourably \ by the Labour I Department. I It is not as if nothing I has been done about this | ice-skating rink project | since it was first pro- | posed last year in a series | of Ohakune promotion | meetings run by the Ruapehu South Business Association. In fact a great deal has already been achieved including preliminary draw-

ings for the proposed building, some cost estimates and a survey of visitors to the area over Labour Day weekend last year which indicated a strong support for such a facility in Ohakune. A similar survey of permanent residents will soon be conducted to guage the level of local interest in a year-round all-weather ice-rink

But all this preliminary work has been done without funding and on a voluntary basis by organisations and individuals which has, of necessity, limited the rate of progress. It is hoped that these CEGS funds, if approved, will enable real progress and the commissioning of preliminary work after Turn to page 4

Rink

From page 3 a consultants' report, to start. An engineering consultant, whose preliminary report is to be funded by King Country Energy, is expected in Ohakune today to look at two potential sites. In the meantime it is possible that a temporary ice-rink may be installed during the ski-season (see separate story).