Photo by Howard Owens
Some of the financial burden has been taken off of city leaders’ and local taxpayers’ shoulders with the announcement of a $1.2 million state grant that will be used for the ice chiller at the McCarthy Ice Rink in Batavia.
The funds are part of $7.3 million pool for climate-smart communities projects across New York State, and Batavia was chosen as one of several municipalities to receive financial assistance for a project that city and Genesee County officials have deemed worthy of the “Climate Smart Communities” initiative.
County Manager Matt Landers appreciated the opportunity to support the state Department of Environmental Conservation in making the announcement, he said Tuesday at the Evans Street ice arena, considering that it’s for “vital funding for new climate projects.”
“This support underscores our commitment to sustainability and highlights the innovative efforts of our local communities in addressing climate change,” he said. “We look forward to seeing these projects have a positive impact on Batavia and beyond.”
City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. also lauded the funding that city leaders had applied for in December 2023 as part of budget discussions and future planning for how to pay for the chiller, expected to cost upwards of $4 million.
“The Ice Arena and the programs provided year-round make it a unique gathering place for all our residents to enjoy. It's much more than just a place for people to ice skate and play hockey; it’s also used for many different events throughout the year. Monday, August 5, in a few weeks, the arena will be hosting the Batavia Police Department's Community Night. It's an annual event that strengthens the community police partnerships and promotes safe neighborhoods,” Jankowski said.
Jankowski said city leadership, including the City Council and City Manager Rachael Tabelski and her team are pleased with the growth of the ice arena as a community hub since operations were award to local businessman Matt Gray.
"Matt is a distinguished member of our community and serves on various boards and organizations. He's very committed to the ongoing revitalization of our downtown," Jankowski said. "His successful venture at Eli Fish Brewing Company in the heart of our downtown demonstrates his keen business knowledge which will be a valuable resource in operating the ice arena.
“That's why the award we're announcing today through the New York State Climate Smart Communities program is so important to the future and success of our ice arena,” he said. “The grant will enhance the operations of the arena as a result of various energy efficiencies. The modern equipment that's being installed will not only reduce operational costs, but will also reduce emissions and lessen the arena’s environmental footprint.”
The ice chiller caused considerable conversation during city budget talks after the council approved inevitable knee-jerk responses to keep the rink going with a failing chiller system two years ago. A council meeting in June 2023 brought out new operating manager Matt Gray and hockey league members to speak to the rink’s importance and reasons why the council should move forward with the big-ticket purchase.
A rapidly failing ice chiller wasn’t likely to survive another full season, and without a working chiller, of course, there would be no ice, no hockey program, and no evolving 12-month facility that had just celebrated “a great first year,” Gray said at the time.
Investing more and more money into the refrigerant necessary to keep the chiller going was a losing strategy, he and Tabelski said.
She presented two options for purchasing a new chiller, and the less expensive one included this potential grant that just came through. In July 2023, the council approved a $2.5 million capital project to purchase a new chiller and evaporator system for the rink and to apply for this grant funding.
The new chiller will use less electricity and less water in the chilling process and allow rink operators to recapture and retire the 22 refrigerant, “which desperately needs to get out of our community,” Gray said.
“And it will do it all in a manner that is safer for the users. At the end of the day, we are in the ice business. The ice is what pays the bills and allows us to do all the great things that the McCarthy does for our community,” he said. “On behalf of our largest grant users, the Batavia Ramparts, BND United, adult hockey, along with the David McCarthy Foundation, and the community as a whole, I would like to thank the city of Batavia for taking the leadership role in this, and the DEC for your commitment and funding to get this done.”
Tabelski was happy to see the ice arena, which she believes is “a true community asset,” become the benefactor of the Climate Smart Community Grant Program.
“To enhance the operations of the arena as well as provide cost savings while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are key to New York State’s climate goals,” she said.
She was not available for additional comments later Tuesday.
Established in 2009, the interagency Climate Smart Communities program provides guidance and technical support to local governments to take locally-driven climate action. The first step to becoming a Climate Smart Community is to register by pledging to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. To date, 425 local governments representing nearly 9.6 million New Yorkers, or approximately 50 percent of the State’s population, have adopted the Climate Smart Communities pledge.
Genesee County Legislative Chair Rochelle Stein said that the county was also “very excited” about the support provided by the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to the ice rink.
“The rink is a center of healthy physical activity and quality of life for our residents,” Stein said. “Investments that extend the life of our local infrastructure with resiliency in practice are most welcome.”
Photo by Howard Owens.
Photo by Howard Owens.
