Reader questions township's Ocean Ice Palace purchase

Now Brick has plans to buy the Ocean Ice Palace for approximately $5.25 million. On the surface it doesn't look bad, but these are some of the other things that were not discussed.

In December, Toms River opened its indoor ice skating rink at Winding River Park, and the Ocean Ice Palace now has competition from a new facility. According to a Toms River councilman, this new facility at Winding River Park reduced the need for Toms River Township youth to travel to facilities like the one in Brick, and the facility has attracted people from the Brick area because it is new. The $450,000 revenue figure for 2006 did not take this into account. Revenue does not mean profit. Profit occurs after expenses are deducted from revenue.

The Bally facility is also part of this deal, and Bally has a 70-year lease. That's right! Bally pays $1,000 per month until 2013 and then it is $2,000 per month for the rest of the lease.

The Ocean Ice Palace is in need of roof repair and other repairs as well. At the July 24 council meeting, Councilman [Dan] Toth said that they were looking to possibly raze the building. Check BT 20 [the township cable station] for confirmation.

Councilman Steve Acropolis and his family have a long history of running the hockey program in Brick, and you have to wonder if the councilman's personal association played too much of a role in this decision.

Then there's the matter of the alternative of the town not purchasing the property and someone else purchasing it. Is it me or does it seem that all too often when the Brick Council wants to do something, the alternative happens to be bad consequences that can't be proven?

With traffic as bad as it is in that section of town, the building needing so much repair, even to the extent of possibly razing it, the loss in property taxes, and declining revenue for the skating rink, you have to wonder if money would be better spent putting the recreation center in another part of town.

It isn't as though this group has a good track record on development. In the Traders Cove deal, the billionaire benefactor hasn't come across with a dime and neither has anyone else after more than 1.5 years, and the taxpayers of Brick have paid almost $700,000 in interest so far.

The Traders Cove deal is now considered finished as it was initially proposed and is before redevelopment, so the council can work out a deal with someone else. The benefactor isn't involved anymore, and the state requirements were in conflict with the deal as it was initially proposed. In retrospect, that deal was tenuous at best. The Brick council should not move to buy the Ocean Ice Palace without making it a referendum on the November ballot for the taxpayers' approval.

Joseph Lamb

Brick