Newtown hockey coach Paul Esposito was at Monday’s Labor Day Parade, part of a group effort to distribute 2,500 flyers promoting his group’s vision for a community center in Newtown: one that would include an ice rink. While another group in town — the Community Center Commission — is tasked with community center planning, Mr Esposito has presented his ideas to that committee. Among those handing out flyers were Newtown youth and high school hockey and figure skaters and Newtown Ice Arena Committee members.

“A skating rink is one of those things that doesn’t exist in town and we kind of inserted ourselves in the community center discussion,” Mr Esposito said. Since 2013 his group has been promoting the ice arena concept, and “I have been pushing the need for a skating rink in town.”

The flyer draws residents’ attention to a community center concept that would feature an ice rink, swimming pool, multipurpose rooms, and meeting space.

“Having a pool/rink complex adds much needed recreation,” Mr Esposito said. They had used past versions of an aquatic complex and community center plans with activity rooms, which were generated through a prior community center planning group and “took that and put it in our plans.”

The idea is also based on other community centers and research on facilities where an ice rink and a pool work together, Mr Esposito said.

“We are trying to show how an ice rink would be an asset, and we want to show how it would benefit everybody in the town.” The ice arena space “is not just a rink,” he said, but can be used for fairs, health shows, and more. “We are trying to paint that picture for everyone.”

He hopes to meet again with the Community Center Committee, which will soon send out a townwide survey, host open forums for the public, and use that feedback to form a community center proposal.

Regarding his time spent promoting his ideas to the committee, Mr Esposito said, “We are trying to offer a great plan,” that he hopes the committee members will consider. “We are going to try to rally people to vote for it, and I think people will vote for it.” (See the flyer and find a link to the architectural renderings for the ice rink/community center at newtownhockey.com, and through a link on Newtown Ice Arena’s Facebook page.)

Following 12/14, the GE Foundation made a gift of $15 million to the town for use in building a facility that serves the community. The Community Center Commission is charged by the first selectman to create a location that does not exist today, acts as an anchor for the people of Newtown to come together, serves the needs of the entire community, and does not duplicate existing programs/services.

Community Center Commission

In regard to the flyers “that many saw during the parade,” Community Center Commission co-chair Andy Clure commented recently on the committee’s behalf.

“The Community Center Commission wants to make clear that there is no decision yet in how the GE gift will be spent. [The Ice Arena Committee] is a very passionate group lobbying to use the gift for an ice rink and there may have been confusion that they are the commission.

“We are still gathering feedback and will launch a townwide survey soon to gather residents’ input on possible community center features, including pools, an ice rink, and many other options, and will hold community forums before any decision is made.”

Mr Clure clarified that Mr Esposito is promoting a community center concept that incorporates an ice arena, and he appreciates the effort.

The Community Center Commission circulated its own flyer of introduction in the mail recently, and the message was repeated through e-mail this week, sent to anyone who is set up to get news through the town website.

According to that information, the new Community Center Commission was created with the objective of developing a proposal on how to best use the GE gift in the creation of the center. The commission is currently soliciting informal feedback and will soon be launching an online, townwide survey to obtain more detailed insights.

For more details visit newtown-ct.gov/public_documents/newtownct_bcomm/ccc/index or follow the commission on its Facebook page.

Upcoming meetings are scheduled for September 22 at Newtown Municipal Center, and October 6 and October 20 at Edmond Town Hall. All meetings are scheduled for 7 pm. As with all town boards and commissions, Newtown Community Center Commission meetings are open to the public.

Agendas are posted within 24 hours of each meeting. Meeting minutes and video can be accessed through the town website shortly after each meeting.