Dozens of residents were disappointed last year when hopes for an ice skating rink as part of the new community center were quashed. For families involved in the Newtown hockey program, as well as those who find joy in skimming across a smooth span of ice, whether with hopes of simply staying upright or dreams of an Olympic skating career, the prospect of finding ice time without traveling to area towns was tantalizing. When assessment of needs and desires of the community as a whole was completed, though, the cost to taxpayers of installing and the upkeep of an ice rink as part of the new endeavor was not deemed a possibility. Hockey players were resigned to continued travel out of town, and figure skaters could only yearn for stretches of weather cold enough to freeze local ponds.The Newtown Bee found that 84 percent of the 681 who responded to the survey desire a permanent ice rink in Newtown. Considering the support in town for its hockey program and the positive recreational value of a local ice rink, swift approval of this plan by town officials is urged, once it comes to the table.

While that hope may have fallen as flat as a toddler on his/her first pair of skates, founder and former NYA owner Peter D'Amico may be lifting skaters up. Mr D'Amico, joining with former NHL player Bob Crawford and Alan Lazowski, Mr Crawford's co-operator of rinks owned by the hockey player, are pitching a plan for a skating rink added on to the popular sports facility at Fairfield Hills. By transforming a portion of the courtyard property at the rear of that building, the men see that private development of a rink there could be a profitable business venture that accommodates the wishes of so many ice-loving residents of the town.

Combining expertise in rink ownership with the business savvy that created the successful NYA sports arena, the men estimate that a rink amenable to hockey players and recreational skaters alike could take shape for approximately $4-5 million. Maintenance and personnel to operate the rink is estimated at around $200,000 a year, the cost of which would be generated by those who utilize the rink and the facility - with no taxpayer burden.

If an agreement between the NYA board and Mr D'Amico come to fruition, the sale of the facility would put it back in the hands of the former owner and his new partners, allowing them to move forward with plans. Subject, of course, to approval by town boards, skaters could be on the ice as early as next winter.

A recent informal poll by

This is an opportunity to add a feature to this community that might not otherwise be available. The offer of proven and experienced development for a project that may not be approved by taxpayers in the near future - if ever - is one that should not be allowed to slip away.