MANCHESTER — The Bank of Bennington made a recent $100,000 contribution in support of the Riley Rink Capital Campaign, a community-wide fundraising effort that began last October.
“As our facility approaches its third decade, proactive investment is essential to ensure Riley Rink remains safe, accessible, and vibrant for generations to come,” said Marek Kovac, on behalf of the Riley Rink Board of Directors. “This leadership gift from The Bank of Bennington provides meaningful momentum for our capital campaign and demonstrates a shared belief in the value of community recreation.”
James Brown, president of The Bank of Bennington, presented the facility with the gift during a boys hockey game at the facility, and acknowledged the importance of the ongoing campaign, "For nearly 30 years, Riley Rink has served our community with year-round recreation and entertainment opportunities. We are proud to contribute to the capital fund that will go to making sure the rink continues to be an asset to the community and its residents for years to come.
“We believe strong communities are built by investing in the places that bring people together,” Brown continued. “Riley Rink is one of those places – a facility that supports youth development, community connection, and healthy activity. We are proud to support its future.”
Mark Slade, general manager of the Northshire Civic Center and the Riley Rink facility, and Billy Brownlee, treasurer and board member, expanded on the needs that the $2,450,000 Riley Rink Capital Campaign is hoping to achieve.
"The capital campaign was started so that we can begin to raise money to replace a variety of upcoming projects in the facility. These are pieces of equipment that people will really never see, but are so important to keep the rink cold in the winter," explained Slade.
These projects, Slade said, include portions of the sprinkler system, the elevator, the dasher boards (the windowed wall around the rink that protects observers from impact), the dehumidifier, and pieces of the ice control room that are in need of updating and replacing in order to remain compliant with regulations. But, there are also other projects at hand.
"Our parking lot needs to be resealed and paved – so, it's all a variety of small projects that add up to a big number," said Slade noting that the most intensive and worrying project might just be the rink floor, "Ultimately, at some point, we're going to have to replace that and all the pipes inside it. Think of it like a house that has a radiant floor; it's the same thing, but we run coolant under there. That's what freezes the water and keeps it as ice."
"The dasher boards are past their recommended lifespan,” Slade said. "And, while there’s no imminent issues with the rink floor, we feel it’s prudent to replace it to eliminate any potential threat."
That is exactly what worries Treasurer Brownlee.
"To get into more technical terms, and long story short about what's wrong with the floor is that the floor was put in almost 30 years ago," Btownlee said. "The components that were used were not stainless. They used to have rust-inhibitor that they added to the anti-freeze system, which would keep those components from rusting. Well, the EPA banned those and we have stopped using them. Now, those components are eventually going to rust within the slab of the concrete – and there's hundreds of thousands of these connections."
When the floor is replaced, Brownlee said, "It'll be something that'll last, hopefully, hundreds of years – and not just 30 years."
In addition to the concerns regarding the integrity of the components and connectors, Riley Rink has exerted considerable efforts to move toward a carbon neutral and environmentally-friendly position – they have obvious concerns about their environmental impact.
Riley Rink, which has served the Northshire region for close to three decades, is aging. And, in order to sustain its vitality, the facility infrastructure is in need of some much deserved TLC.
"This [facility] is a story of many people, either on the rink or in the community, and they can talk about the positive impact that the rink has had – not only on people, but on families – and the asset that this entity is for the community," Brownlee said.
Members of the Riley Rink community like to say that the facility serves as a "cornerstone for the community" and a "regional asset," and they see the capital campaign ensuring the long-term sustainability of the facility as it continues to evolve to meet community needs.
The ability to move forward with the necessary improvements will take place in stages, board members acknowledge – but this gift from The Bank of Bennington is significant.
"There have been a variety of smaller gifts and donations recently, which have been fantastic, but this donation from The Bank of Bennington is the first large sum gift that was dedicated to us in a while – and it was just so nice," Slade noted. "The Bank of Bennington's mission is to help the community grow, and that is fully in line with what we do – and I think that's why this gift is so important – because both organizations are working towards the same ultimate goal of it being about the community."
"The Development Committee has been going out into the community and consistently talking about the direct community impact of what we do as an organization – not just as a hub for Manchester, but really for Southern Vermont and for our region," Slade continued. "The ice that is provided, the facility that's provided, and the grounds of Hunter Park – all go into the giant picture of what we do, and we're here for the community."
Of the original $2,450,000 figure of the Riley Rink Capital Campaign, Brownlee noted that about $800,000 has already been raised this fall and winter – leaving approximately $1,650,000 left to raise.
"We don't ask for taxpayer money through appropriations like other nonprofits in our area, so really the way that we generate funding and revenue is through our programming and events, as well as fundraising in our annual fund and in this capital campaign," Slade noted.
Donations to the capital campaign can be sent directly to Riley Rink at Hunter Park, 410 Hunter Park Road, Manchester Center. Donations can also be made online at rileyrink.com. Those who would like to tour the facility and explore the rink’s capital needs are encouraged to reach out to Mark Slade at (802) 362-0150 or to David Baer at dbaer@nccvermont.com.