Rep. Rogers Secures Funding for Norwood Ice Rink

Editor's Note: The following press release is from the office of Rep. John Rogers.

Representative John H. Rogers (D-Norwood) secured $5.6 million in funding toward the located in South Norwood during a House session Thursday night. Rogers has been working with Norwood Youth Hockey, rink enthusiasts, and local officials in search for funding for a Norwood-base rink for the town.

Rogers amended a state budget that closes out the books for FY2012 with language that authorizes and directs the state to expend up to $5,659,000 on a DCR rink in Norwood.

“This is great news for Norwood families as well as the Commonwealth,” Rogers said. “The state will have an asset that it doesn’t have to maintain or manage; the town can manage the asset and collect the revenues it generates; the neighborhood will benefit from an economic surge; and our youth, seniors, and all of Norwood’s families will at long last have access to a home rink.”

Back in June, Rogers organized a meeting in South Norwood at the Coakley Middle School with Norwood town officials, DCR engineers and youth group organizers to begin the discussion of the possibility of constructing a DCR ice rink in Norwood. A senior DCR engineer at the time surveyed the site, calling it an ideal place due to its access to existing water, sewer, electricity and parking spaces which reduces construction costs overall.

The Rogers amendment amended a 2008 environmental bond authorization that allows for the construction of publicly owned rinks. Rogers, earlier in July, met with DCR Commissioner Ed Lambert, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, and Deputy Secretary of Administration and Finance Scott Jordan to discuss a Norwood DCR rink. Rogers obtained agreement from these officials that the Norwood rink proposal is consistent with Governor Deval Patrick’s five-year capital investment plan.

The Norwood rink language now heads to the Senate where Norwood’s Senator Mike Rush (D-West Roxbury), who supports the rink plan, is expected to get the backing of the full Senate.

Rogers hopes to bring members of the Norwood RINC committee to meet with the Governor to push for the release of the authorized funding some time in August.