This Day in Norwood History-January 31, 1963-Skating Rink Proposal Going to Town Meeting

The Board of Selectmen Tuesday in a meeting with the Skating Rink Study Committee, initiated steps aimed at preparing an article for the next Special Town Meeting. It is expected that the Town will be asked to appropriate funds for construction of the proposed rink at the Father McAleer playground.

The estimated construction cost in the report dated January 30, 1962, was $124,000 •with an annual operating cost of some $25,000.

The committee had suggested the figure of $21,000 in annual revenue.

The motion voted encompasses the combined efforts of the Town Fathers, Rink Committee and Recreation Department in making the presentation to the Town Meeting.

Information will be updated by the committee and slides of the possible site and existing facilities in other towns will be prepared.

The committee is also investigating the possibility of year-round use of the proposed rink to be used for roller skating, block dances, volleyball and tennis.

It was revealed by Chairman A. Franklin Swift, Jr., that the year-old study is adequate for presentation to the Town Meeting: with only slight modification.

A basketball court had been Included in the original master plan for Fr. Mac’s playground, it was revealed.

The proposed facility has provisions for the addition of a roof at a later date, although none was proposed in the original study.

The committee revealed that a plowing jeep with special equipment including a hot-water spray, reduces days lost because of weather to 5-15 per year.

Skating rinks are operated for a 21-week period. When the temperature drops to 50 degrees, the facilities could be put into operation, according to the committee report Committee member James R. Hanley described the cost of constructing a roof in the original building as prohibitive, stating that it would not be in keeping with the use for occasional outdoor basketball.

He suggested that building costs would perhaps become less In the future with modification of State building code requirements.