Center's new ice unveiled Friday

IRONWOOD - Area skaters will get to try out the new ice at the Patrick O'Donnell Civic Center on Friday.

New ice-making equipment has been installed and center manager Brian Roehm said Monday the system seems to be working fine.

Roehm said the project was completed with the help of a handful of volunteers. Also, he said the community corrections department assisted by assigning people to serve community service sentences by working at the center.

Open skating hours will be 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m.

The civic center on the campus of Gogebic Community College celebrated its 30th anniversary on Aug. 6 and the ice-making project, at a cost of around $500,000, was the most recent investment in the facility, owned by the city.

The center is not only used for amateur skating, ice dancing and youth hockey organizations, but it also hosts numerous one-day events like concerts, circuses and home and trade shows.

The city commission previously approved a $275,000 bond for the all-season ice-making equipment project. It was estimated electrical savings with a new, more efficient ice-making system will be around $12,000 annually.

The center's old ice-making equipment was failing.

Ironwood taxpayers support the center with a one mill per year levy that presently generates $85,000. The millage was approved for a four-year period.

The city commission on Monday supported Mayor Kim Corcoran's reappointment of Jim Collins to the civic center board of directors.

Corcoran and commissioner Rick Semo praised Collins' efforts on the board, including his advice in the new ice-making project.