Holiday Hoopla organizers seek council commitment by Oct. 1 to order permanent ice rink components

Organizers of the Reimagine Holiday Hoopla and project partners presented a revised conceptual plan and a funding timeline for a proposed permanent, multiuse ice rink in downtown Middletown. Evan Kaiser, founder of the Reimagine Holiday Hoopla, described the rink as a “catalyst for revitalization” and said the current conceptual budget is approximately $1,109,365, with a 40% initial deposit of about $443,746 required to start engineering, procurement and manufacturing. “October 1 is when we need a commitment from council to say we were willing to invest in this,” a presenter told council. Presenters said the engineering and procurement work would begin in October, fabrication would follow through spring and installation could start the following July to meet a target completion in September 2026. They also said additional contracts will be required for site engineering and architectural design; one presenter said an engineering/architect budget of up to about $360,000 was a conservative estimate. Council members asked for more detailed cost and contract information; several members asked to see materials at the Sept. 16 meeting, and no straw vote was taken that night. Organizers also noted a potential buyback credit for the city’s existing portable rink and emphasized that the project must meet vendor lead times to achieve the proposed schedule.