Town wants out of ice skating rink business

WEST WARWICK, R.I.—A town-run rink is skating on thin ice, and now officials are saying they’d like to give up managing the ice rink to save money as municipalities face reductions in state aide.

West Warwick shells out about $510,000 a year to operate the West Warwick Civic Center, which houses an ice rink and additional sports facilities.

Town Manager James Thomas told The Providence Journal that the town wants to lease the complex to a private company that could take over maintenance and operating costs. The company would keep
money from concession stand sales and from renting the complex to athletic programs.

The town would still own the site.

Thomas said public safety and other services are essential for the town, but recreation is not.