Interest Groups Receive Protection in Ulin Rink Contract

After over two weeks of negotiations and checks from legal counsel the Town of Milton and Curry College inked the three-year permit for the college to operate the Max Ulin Memorial Rink on Monday, September 13.

The contract offers protection to interest groups from the town, it also protects the Town of Milton and Curry College from significant financial losses.

The deal ensures that ice time, a key point of concern for residents, stays the same as it was in 2009, under the management of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

This fixed schedule will protect ice time for user groups like Milton Youth Hockey, Milton High School hockey, the Learn to Skate program and other outside programs.

The contract does note that if a group purchases less ice time in a particular year, that schedule will be made available to them in the following year.

As dictated by the state, the Ulin Rink will offer a total of 16 hours of public skating per week for the duration of the contract. As in past year's there is a chance that public skating hours will increase during school breaks.

Improvements on the rink, especially to the energy efficiency, have been noted as a key reason that the rink has been operating at an annual loss of $300,000. To quell the issue, the contract notes that Curry must invest $145,000 into the rink before August 31, 2011 and $20,000 in the two subsequent years.

Pursuant to the town's contract with the DCR, the DCR will handle necessary improvements to the roof, slab and the HVAC system among other major items in the facility.

Curry College was also protected by the contract. The contract states that if the Town of Milton solicits a new contract with anyone other than Curry College within a year of the end of the deal, the new management group could be responsible for any loses incurred by the college.

The contract states that the new contractor  "shall pay to the Town a sum of money representing the cumulative net negative cash flow incurred by Curry College during the term of this contract."  That money would then be paid to Curry College as a reimbursement.

The contract also stipulates that a lease or sub-lease is subject to the same language.

If a lease becomes available for the town from the state, it has the right to terminate the contract with Curry College within 60 days of its execution or upon 10 days' notice. This termination would still make either the town or a new management group responsible for reimbursing Curry for any losses.

The Max Ulin Skating Rink officially opens on Wednesday, September 15.