Greenport, Southold mull agreement to fund $200G ice rink repairs

Southold Town officials are considering working with Greenport Village to help keep open the village's signature ice-skating rink, which is in jeopardy of closing because of costly repairs.

Greenport Mayor George Hubbard and Southold Supervisor Scott Russell have begun discussing an intermunicipal agreement that would allow the town to invest in improvements needed to continue operating the rink at Mitchell Park. 

“We both think it’s a very important asset to the community and we’d like to work together to see if we can keep it going,” Russell said Thursday.

At a work session of village trustees last week, village administrator Paul Pallas said the cost to repair the rink on Front Street — which has deteriorated over time — is estimated to be about $200,000. He said the rink can be operational this winter season but recommended it be upgraded or that trustees “put it aside for a while” until they can agree on a new plan for it.

Hubbard told Newsday on Thursday that warmer temperatures have made it harder to maintain the rink’s ice. In addition, the ice rink mat needs to be replaced, as do sideboards that have become banged up over time during ice hockey games.

“Each year, we seem to be getting less and less time out of it, so we’re trying to figure out what our options are so we can prolong the season and get better ice for a longer period of time,” Hubbard said.

Among the options the village is discussing is moving the rink to Moore’s Lane as officials pursue a more permanent structure, preferably with a “bubble” to protect the rink’s ice from the elements, Hubbard said.

The village normally spends $100,000 annually between payroll and maintenance to operate and maintain the rink, according to Hubbard, noting its popularity. Though the rink was closed in 2021, it typically generated about $40,000 a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.

Russell and Hubbard said they are preparing to discuss the potential intermunicipal agreement with their respective boards in the next few days.