Key Panel OKs Norwood Rink Bill

(From the office of State Rep. John H. Rogers)

At a public hearing held at the State House Tuesday by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, testimony was heard on a bill to authorize the construction of a public skating rink on land owned by the town of Norwood with state funds.  

Representative John H. Rogers (D- Norwood) and Senator Mike Rush (D-West Roxbury) testified in favor of the bill.  Rep. Rogers spoke of the long, open and public process that has been a hallmark of this initiative from the start.  He pointed out that the bill has the strong support of Governor Patrick’s environment secretary Richard K. Sullivan, the Norwood Board of Selectmen, and the Norwood Town Meeting.  Senator Rush spoke on the benefits that a rink brings to the community, citing the successes of the Roche rink in West Roxbury as an example.

In addition to Rogers and Rush, Public Works Director/Town Engineer Mark Ryan spoke on behalf of the town in favor of the bill as well as Bill Naumann, president of the Norwood Nugget Youth Hockey program.

Any member of the general public was welcome to speak at the meeting and several did.  Hearing testimony both for and against the bill, members of the Committee asked questions and engaged with those who testified. 

The hearing was chaired by Rep. Sarah Peake (D-Provincetown) and Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry (D-Dorchester) and committee members present consisted of both Democrats and Republicans. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, the committee voted in executive session to give the rink bill the unanimous report that the bill “ought to pass.”

The rink bill now advances to procedural committees in the House before formal consideration by the full House.