Recreation staff told the governing body on Aug. 13 that the Genoveva Chávez Community Center ice arena has been closed since June 9 after failures in major systems, including the dehumidifier and cooling towers. Recreation Director Bridal Stinnett and interim city staff emphasized the closure followed extensive troubleshooting and previous repairs earlier in 2024–2025.

Stinnett said city contractors and vendors determined the rink’s systems were designed for a colder climate and recommended full replacement and reengineering of two systems rather than piecemeal repairs. Arena Products provided a quote to replace the cooling towers and related equipment — $222,098 — with an 8–10 week lead time once a purchase order is issued. The city expects separate labor and installation work to be contracted to B and D Industries, the city’s emergency services provider for the recreation center.

Deputy City Manager Paul Hammond described the procurement as an emergency buy intended to expedite replacement parts and allow the labor contract to be finalized “while parts are in transit.” Stinnett said compressors, the “heart” of the rink, have been repaired earlier in 2025; the current purchase would complete two remaining major components and, once finished, would leave the arena largely rebuilt.

Councilors asked about warranties, maintenance and long‑term preventive work. Stinnett said manufacturer warranties for the cooling towers are 10 years; the dehumidifier repair carries no such warranty. She and deputy managers said staff will present a full maintenance schedule and projected preventive budget at the Quality of Life committee meeting the following week. Stinnett said the city is also training multiple staff as certified ice technicians and had recently created an ice rink technician position to build operational redundancy.

The governing body approved the requested budget amendment and emergency procurement by roll call. Councilors said they supported prioritizing speed to restore public programs but asked staff to return with a preventive maintenance budget and timeline for avoiding repeated closures.

Why this matters: The ice arena hosts public programs and youth sports; the closure has disrupted users for months. Staff told the council that replacing the cooling towers and dehumidifier is required to adapt the rink to local climate conditions and to prevent further extended shutdowns.