Pegasus report: Taos ice rink slab and drainage problems; insurance delays stall roof repairs

Taos Town Council heard a technical briefing and public testimony April 22 on the condition of the Taos Youth and Family Center ice rink after a fire and ongoing deterioration.

Zeke Hurd of Pegasus Environmental Company presented ground-penetrating radar scans and high-resolution images showing irregularities beneath the ice slab, including uneven spacing of embedded coolant tubing, areas with little or no active heating, and poor or nonfunctional subsurface drainage. Hurd said the scans show a stark boundary about 17 feet across parts of the rink where heating elements appear to be failing. "The cooling seems to be okay," he said, "however, you are not arresting or holding the freezing portion in the area that it should be. And because of condensation, you have no effective drainage." (presentation remarks)

Parks & Rec director Tony Struk and building/facilities staff said they were able to build ice in February and operate the rink, but that the facility is toward the end of its expected lifespan and had long-standing issues in areas that froze poorly. Parents, coaches and youth athletes pressed the council in public comment for faster action; multiple speakers described season travel burdens and urged the town to restore ice for the 2025–26 season.

Assistant Manager Flores told the council the town has been working with the New Mexico Self-Insurers Fund and Sedgwick (the adjuster). Flores said the town performed due diligence on competing contractor proposals, and staff preferred a comprehensive proposal that included fire and smoke remediation. He said the insurer has delayed contractor selection while it seeks input from excess carriers and ordered a second structural-engineer inspection of roof beams; Flores said the insurer's structural engineer performed an inspection and the town is awaiting that report. Flores described two contractor proposals that ended up within roughly $27,000 of each other but said the insurer is steering the process and will pay contractors directly rather than reimburse the town.

Council members and staff said the town will continue parallel planning for either repairing the existing facility or replacing it, noting that $1.2 million in capital outlay had been identified by the county in a recent session as available for the project. Staff warned the roofing and building work could take 90–120 days once a contractor is selected and that additional structural issues could lengthen the schedule.

Why it matters: The rink serves youth hockey, figure skating, recreation skate and community programs. Town staff said the technical report shows both near-term repairs that might allow limited ice next winter and longer-term replacement/tie-in options; decisions remain contingent on insurer approval and final engineering findings.

Ending: Staff said they will continue pressing the insurer for the structural report and that the town is moving forward with master-plan work and equipment procurement so work can proceed as soon as insurance approval is given.