Fund transfer approved for Talkeetna ice rink

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough has approved a transfer of funds to complete work at the new Talkeetna Ice Rink.

The delay has caused significant concern amongst community members involved in the Talkeetna Youth Hockey Association. Typically, youth hockey players and coaches are on the ice by early November.

Talkeetna and Willow were both allocated funds for new rinks in the recreational bond package approved by voters last year. While Willow’s rink was completed, the Talkeetna rink project ran into a budget shortfall.

The issue arose after the main structure was complete. The old dasher boards surrounding the rink were removed, and there was not enough funding to finish replacing them.

Eric Phillips, the Mat-Su Borough’s Community Development Director, said in late September that the cost overrun was due to extra soil work required to complete the project. He also said in September that there is money left over from a project to put up signs for recreational facilities along highways.

Transferring those funds requires a borough ordinance. Since there is no Assembly meeting on borough election day, the ordinance was introduced on October 16^th, and up for a vote at Tuesday’s meeting. At that meeting the Assembly voted six-to-one to approve the transfer of $49,000 to the rink project. Some work continued during the month of October.