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Synchronizing SuccessPlanning for the fiscal future of Norwich Ice Rink

Story by Lisa Miceli Feliciano

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‘ Privatization could very well take us down a road where (the rink) is priced out of (residents’) reach and that can never happen because it’s the voters who paid

for that municipal bond.

They own it. It’s their facility. They must have access.

You have to give this facility an opportunity to succeed.’

Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom

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Despite its popularity, budgeting and revenue issues have dogged the Nor-wich Ice Rink since its inception,

and the venue has accumulated $261,000 in debt to the city in recent years. But o�cials say changes are aimed at turning the rink into a successful operation �nan-cially. Earlier this year, the city took over �nances for the rink a�er the Norwich Municipal Ice Rink Authority voted to get rid of its �nance director. In August, the authority approved a $696,000 operating budget for the rink for 2012-2013. At that point, a $9,100 surplus was anticipated. �e rink ran a $120,000 de�cit in 2011-12.

Council President Pro Tempore Francois “Pete” Desaulniers stepped into a leadership role at the rink over the sum-mer, along with Councilor Deb Hinchey. Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom calls it “a new beginning” for the facility, praising the e�orts of Desaulniers and Hinchey, who examined the rink’s challenges and diminishing dollars, and championed the rink’s future success.

“�ere were a lot of negative com-ments made about the rink by those who really had not studied the issues,” Hinchey said. Hinchey’s interest in the

rink and and how it functions got her hooked on what she said is “a terri�c facility that bene�ts the city.”

“We still have to be �scally respon-sible, but we’ve sure turned a corner,” she said.

Nystrom sees the rink as an exception-al regional draw worth promoting, saying “I have a very strong outlook for success over there.”

He noted that the municipally-owned facility’s cost was approved by Norwich voters in 1994 and continuing to operate it at a loss is not an option. �e idea, said Nystrom, is to have the money brought in carry the cost of the operations and services – while also working to reduce expenditures. A 10-year capital plan is in the works to help project �nances better.

Changes in leadershipDesaulniers views his duel role of City

Council President Pro Tempores and Ice Authority chairman as an advantage to keeping the Norwich Ice Rink on the city’s radar. He says he wishes the city had intervened earlier. Changes in manage-ment at the rink include promoting Mia Sanca, a Certi�ed Arena Manager, to the

Mia Sanca, a Certi�ed Arena Manager, was promoted to the position of rink director this past summer. Photos this page and previous, by Chris Hetzer.

Norwich Ice Rink Authority members: Chairman Peter Desaulniers,

Alderman Joann Beguhl,

Stephanie Davis, Michael A.

Goldblatt, Patrice Jaskiewicz,

Michael Meakem, Roger C. Moss

(Ex-Officio), Cheryl T. Ritacco

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position of rink director this past summer. Sanca has worked in many capacities with the rink since her start as a volunteer in 2005, including assisting with the rink’s audit in 2006 and in on-site management. She replaced her husband, Jim Sanca, who resigned in June 2012.

Other changes at the rink included streamlining costs and restructuring the internal sta�. With the revamped team in place, Sanca, a self-described “doer” with “a mission to get everybody skat-ing,” set her sights on expanding skating programs and instruction, looking at optimizing space rentals, tightening the advertising budget and launching a social media component. Event subcommit-tees were established through the Ice Authority.

�e rink also now collaborates with the city on bulk purchases, has obtained a cost-saving city gas card, and worked with Norwich Public Utilities to estab-lish a lowered rate structure and a water metering system. Geothermal energy (a clean, low-cost, heat energy) is also being

explored for the rink.According to Desaulniers, the budget

surplus may be even higher than the $9,100 projected when the budget was approved in August.

“�at budget‘s going to look a lot bet-ter than what was projected. We might hit that 15 percent,” he said, referring to an earlier goal of bringing in revenue of 15 percent over the operating budget. Any budget pro�t realized will go to the city to begin paying down the $261,000 rink debt.

Passing on privatization

Any notion of privatizing the rink, de-spite past developer interest, is currently o� the table, according to both Desaul-niers and Nystrom. A major reason for that decision, according to the men, is the need to maintain rink access and a�ordability for Norwich residents (who get a 50-percent discount on usage).

While Nystrom acknowledges that, in the past, he has not opposed the concept

of privatization, he considers it to be both “premature and a last resort” and would not do it at the expense of access to the citizens of Norwich.

“Privatization could very well take us down a road where (the rink) is priced out of (residents’) reach and that can never happen because it’s the voters who paid for that municipal bond. �ey own it. It’s their facility. �ey must have access. You have to give this facility an opportunity to succeed.”

Hinchey said keeping the ice rink municipally owned puts Norwich on the map and is a part of what makes the city unique.

“�ings that remain a�ordable remain available to anyone regardless of status,” she said.

Bob Mills, president of the Norwich Community Development Corporation (NCDC) has no working relationship with the Norwich Ice Rink, but his orga-nization is committed to promoting and developing assets in the city including recreation opportunities.

From left to right, Gilliam Melville, 9, of Norwich; Olivia Paoli, 9, of

Colchester; Kiara Tanta-quideon, 12, of Norwich; and Alexia Popham, 9, of

Norwich, skate at Norwich Ice Rink. Photo by Johnny Jones

Opposite page, photo by Chris Hetzer

From left to right, Gilliam Melville, 9, of Norwich; Olivia Paoli, 9, of

Colchester; Kiara Tanta-quideon, 12, of Norwich; and Alexia Popham, 9, of

Norwich, skate at Norwich Ice Rink.Photo by Johnny Jones

Opposite page, photo by Chris Hetzer

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While he favors all recreational ven-ues be under one management umbrella, he does applaud the current Ice Rink Authority’s “new energy and new blood.”

Mills noted that components like the municipally-owned ice rink, the baseball stadium, the golf course and the utility company di�erentiates Norwich from other cities of similar size.

“We have the only ice rink in this part of the state. With the city required to fund it every year, it makes the commu-nity much more of a destination than the next. An ice rink is a beautiful thing; a real treasure, a well-known asset in the city of Norwich,” said Mills.

Recreation has always been strongly supported by Norwich residents, Nys-trom said, and the Norwich Ice Rink is an anchor for recreational pursuits in the city, along with the other municipally-owned assets Mills cited.

Sanca said attendance at the rink from July to November 2012 was about

Continued on page 57

‘I loved it here and saw so much room to grow and do good things, including more affordable pro-grams so kids can live their dream.’

Ashley Foy, Norwich Ice Rink figure skating director and retired junior national championship skater

Open year round, the Norwich Ice Rink is located at

641 New London Turnpike. A full schedule of events

and programming can be found at norwichrink.com.

The rink can be reached at (860) 213-1150.

beyond the numbers and look at the people on and behind the ice. Sanca said kid customers are “�rst and foremost.” She observes a “whole life out there” at the rink; from the juxtaposition of toned �gure skaters and padded hockey players to teenagers’ �rst dates, break-ups and make-ups.

Retired junior national champion skater Ashley Foy, 22, of Simsbury, is the rink’s �gure skating director. Foy is proud of her young skaters, as well as the rink’s Summer Extravaganza and international champions she coached last summer.

“I loved it here and saw so much room to grow and do good things, including more a�ordable programs so kids can live

13,000. She estimated December 2012 would draw about 2,000 visitors.

Nystrom said approximately 30 per-cent of the people who make use of the rink are from Norwich.

Ice memories and sure footing

�e rink’s calendar is chock-full of skating programs from public skate sessions to Learn to Skate lessons, plus hockey clinics, leagues, pick-up games and one-on-one lessons. Performances of �e Nutcracker rink tradition, happen each November and the rink’s Rose City Annual �anksgiving Hockey Tourna-ment had Team White Meat and Team Dark Meat vying for the puck.

To fully experience the Norwich Ice Rink and what it means to the skating community, you have to go

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Continued from page 49

Synchronizing success

their dream,” Foy said of her decision to work at the Norwich facility.

Youth hockey Coach John Healy, 27, is in his third season at the rink and he’s been coaching at prep schools for sev-eral years. For Healy, it’s the commu-nity atmosphere at the rink that makes it special. “Skating is such a family sport, “ he said.

East Lyme resident, attorney Rob Keville, 54, is an avid hockey player and has been going to the Norwich rink for the past 18 years.

“When it’s 105 degrees outside, you think, ‘man, I can’t wait to go to the rink today!’” said Keville, who calls the Norwich Ice Rink “an institution” and “one of the nicest public rinks around New England.”

Since last summer, Kathleen Mon-roe has been bringing her 15-year-old daughter, Elena, to the Norwich Ice Rink to skate and train with Learn to Skate Director Ashley Smith. Elena, a Westerly (RI) High School sophomore, has been freestyle skating for eight years. Citing the competitive, o�en aloof atmosphere typically found at rinks, Monroe said they chose Norwich.

“People went out of their way to make us feel welcome. �e skating level of students is high but not so competi-tive that it’s uncomfortable,” said Mon-roe. �e sta�, she said is “devoted to the rink and students there. You don’t �nd that people are invested in things these days and these people are.”

Desaulniers admits that before he got involved with the ice rink, he just wanted to avoid hitting the building on the golf course’s fairway. While he still walks around the ice versus skates on it, he now gets a kick out of the youth hockey teams whizzing by and watches the ice shows alongside his wife.

“�e �nances, yes; they’re important. But to me, when someone walks up and says ‘I don’t know who is responsible for that ice but that is the best ice we’ve ever had, that’s really great, “said Desaulniers. “You’re going to have some ups and downs, some bumps. But are we head-ing in the right direction? Yeah, I think we are.”

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