Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Parks and Recreation Department

TO:	Dave Corliss, City Manager
CC:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager Casey Toomay, Assistant City Manager Ernie Shaw, Interim Director of Parks and Recreation Charles Soules, Director of Public Works
FROM:	Mark Hecker, Assistant Director, Parks and Recreation
DATE:	August 26, 2014
RE:	Portable Artificial Ice Skating Facility

Please include the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at the September 2nd meeting:

The City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department requests Commission approval to purchase a portable artificial ice skating facility.  

Project Description

City Parks and Recreation staff requested proposals from multiple companies to provide a portable artificial ice skating facility. Below is a summary of the proposals:

	Global Synthetic Ice	PMI	Smart Rink
60' x 80' x .75" Synthetic Ice Surface	$47,750	$66,380	$72,000
Perimeter Rail System Freight Included	No Bid/No Supply	$5,667	$15,000
Rubber Matting Freight included	No Bid/No Supply	$2,951	$3,000
Travel to site/1st Fit & Install	$3,750	$5,750	Extra
Total	$51,500	$80,748	$90,000
	Surface thickness .5", Does not meet RFP

The potential site for this artificial ice skating rink project is in the plaza area between the new public library and the parking garage.  A terrace in the plaza area will accommodate a 60’x80’ skating rink.  That size of rink will accommodate around 100 to 125 skaters at once.

Synthetic ice is a plastic-like surface that is unaffected by temperature or weather changes.  Regular ice skates are used on the surface. Skaters will be allowed to use their own skates or rent skates at the facility. These types of synthetic ice skating rinks have been installed in many other communities for seasonal and special event use. Being portable, the surface could be set up at any parks and recreation venue throughout the year.

The site would be prepared each winter with a sub-base of plywood sheets directly over the existing turf and concrete sidewalks.  Then crews would install the skating surface and railing system on top of the plywood. In the spring, after the skating surface has been removed, the area would be over-seeded and returned to a grass turf area until the next winter. 

Project Funding

Recreation staff anticipates the skating rink would be in operation generally 8 weeks per year: Thanksgiving week through the second week of January.  With a skate rental of $3 each, we anticipate the skate rink would operate cost-neutral after initial investment

Staff received bids from three companies to provide the skating surface, railing system and protective rubber matting for around the rink; the best proposal was from Preservation Materials International (PMI) at $80,748. The lower priced proposal received from Global Synthetic Ice did not include quotes all requested components to complete the facility.      

Funding is available in the Guest Tax Reserve Fund, Sales Tax Reserve Fund and the City’s Recreation Fund.  

Action Request

Authorize the purchase of a portable artificial ice skating facility from Preservation Materials International (PMI) for $80,748.   

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.