The Vincent Community Board will today decide whether to provide a "loan'' for part of a $3.3 million Alexandra ice rink reconstruction project.
Iceinline Central plans to enclose its outdoor rink with a roof and buy a new, more efficient refrigeration plant.
At a meeting in Alexandra today the board will decide whether to contribute to the project.
The major goal of the reconstruction is to increase the rink's operating time from three months a year to at least six.
As part of this project it also plans to build a 350m pipe to transfer heat to the Molyneux Aquatic Centre as an energy-saving scheme for the pool.
A report prepared by council staff recommends the board grant a ``loan'' of $650,000.
The money would be paid back through energy savings at the pool over about 20 years.
Its other options are to contribute either $850,000, $1.2million, or nothing.
Three years ago Iceinline proposed building a new rink closer to the pool.
At that time the board in principle committed a loan of up to $1.5million to the project.
A subsequent feasibility study said developing a new rink at a new location was questionable and not recommended in terms of cost. Roofing the current facility was another option which could be explored, it said.
Iceinline is an incorporated society and is seeking money from a range of funding groups for the project.
When considering the previous proposal, the board decided the risk of the rink shutting down in the next 20 years was low.
