Local developers unveil plans for new ice rink

The hockey-crazed town of Canton could soon be gaining two additional ice surfaces thanks to the vision and determination of three local businessmen.

The proposed Canton Ice House would have 2 regulation-size rinks. (Click to enlarge)

The trio — Bill Dadasis, Chuck Giacchetto and Matthew Dimock — are all longtime Canton residents and current hockey dads, and on Thursday, June 25, they all appeared before the zoning board along with attorney Paul Schneiders to outline their plans for the new Canton Ice House. [Click here to watch the full ZBA hearing courtesy of Canton Community Television.]

Proposed on an industrially zoned, 6.5-acre parcel at the intersection of North Street and Will Drive, the new facility, according to the applicants, would be privately owned and operated and would feature two regulation-size rinks as well as a large concession area on a mezzanine level and a number of other modern amenities. The building would be open year-round, seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight, and there would be seating for 646 spectators and more than 300 parking spaces.

“It is the sole goal of Canton Ice House to build an ice rink facility in the town of Canton for the benefit of the residents,” noted Schneiders in his opening presentation, adding that the owners plan to partner with the Canton High School athletics program and the Parks and Recreation Department as well as Canton Youth Hockey.

Before even delving into the specifics of the project, however, Schneiders made a point to address the roof collapse at the state-owned and town-managed Metropolis Rink on Turnpike Street, which he said had no bearing on his clients’ desire to build a new rink.

“I’ve been asked point blank: Are we just trying to capitalize on a very unfortunate thing that happened?” he said, referencing the February 28 collapse. “The answer is absolutely no. We started 12 months before and had every intention of building it with the DCR rink still in full operation.”

He said all three principals felt strongly that there was not enough available ice time and they “sincerely hope that the DCR facility is rebuilt to the satisfaction of the town.”

“So this is not a competitive thing,” he said. “There’s just so much demand for ice time that two facilities — actually a third facility because Canton Sportsplex is also here — they will all do very well at the same time.”

Schneiders said the project will require a special permit and site plan approval from the zoning board and possibly a few additional waivers. He said the property — which has been a gravel pit for the last 50-plus years — is not near any homes and is not too far from another piece of land that the board had previously approved for an indoor tennis court facility, although that project was never constructed.

Asked about the construction timeline for the rink, Giacchetto said they would like to get the building weather tight by Christmas with the goal of being fully operational for the start of the 2016-17 ice hockey season …

See this week’s Canton Citizen to read more about the new rink proposal as well as a proposed condominium conversion at the former Emerson and Cuming building. Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=30037

Posted by Jay Turner on Jul 2 2015. Filed under News. Both comments and pings are currently closed.