The Ice Rink Will Stay, Brentwood Aldermen Say

The Brentwood Board of Aldermen, on Monday, got a round of applause for something that was four years in the making.

As a step toward deciding the fate of the Brentwood Recreation center, the aldermen voted to keep the ice rink as part of the Rec Center. It was unanimous except for Ward 3 Alderman Andy Leahy, who voted no. Ward 4 Alderman Tom Kramer was absent.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Maureen Saunders started the discussion by stating that the Warren Poll indicated the residents are satisfied with the co-op agreement with Maplewood and Richmond Heights. She said Brentwood’s part in that is the ice rink.

Ward 3 Alderman Keith Robertson said the city will have to spend a substantial amount of money just to get the building up to code, and spending slightly more, “we could get something that we can be actually proud of.”

Saunders and Robertson agreed that the rec center should be an ice rink and meeting rooms, though Robertson said it’s a lack of vision not to imagine that a community center could be part of the rec center.

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He said The Heights, in Richmond Heights, is very busy, and possibly considering expanding, but waiting to see what Brentwood decides before they go ahead. He said a fitness facility at the rec center wouldn’t be duplicating the Heights.

“It’s adding something to the market, something that could be a town center. It’s not just a workout room or public space.”

Robertson said it will cost $4 to 5 million just to keep the building going, and up to $9 million, to include a workout center.

Mayor Pat Kelly said he thinks there’s no need to duplicate what The Heights offers, and residents just want to upgrade the rec center along with the ice rink.

Ward 2 Alderwoman Cindy Manestar agreed with Kelly, including keeping the city hall buidling and the ice rink.

“Can I say then that we are agreeing to keep the ice rink?" Manestar said. "The one thing that we can say yes, going forward, that we made a decision,” Manestar said. Then she made a motion to keep the rink.

Leahy said in the Warren report the ice rink was ranked 11th in what residents want in the building, and doubted how funding would work if the residents rated an ice rink so low.

When Kelly asked, Leahy read from the survey that 76 percent of the residents wanted to keep the ice, but were not willing to pay much to modernize it.

Harper had one last comment before the vote.

"This is the question that we’ve avoided, side-stepped for years," he said. "I’m glad the motion is finally here and we have some type of direction."

Also in Patch:

Rec Center Poll: Residents Want Renovation But No New Taxes

Brentwood Public Works: One More Rec Center Survey on the Way