WHS Hockey Teams Told No Ice Time at Ristuccia This Fall

Wilmington High School’s boys and girls hockey teams won’t have ice time in their hometown at Ristuccia Arena this fall, and things seem to be heating up between the town and the current management of the facility who may now be looking to purchase the rink.

The town made the decision to make an bid on the property at a Special Town Meeting back in December, giving officials the approval to purchase the rink at a cost of $2.25 million. The decision for the town to purchase the rink will allow town hockey teams and ice skating clubs, as well as residents a place of their own.

Leading up to the decision to allow the town permission to purchase Ristuccia, questions were raised about the role the rink has played in town. Specifically, town residents and teams having the ability to use the rink.

When it was built 30 years ago, the plan discussed and approved for Ristuccia would allow access to the rink for both. However, the rink has catered more toward other interests over local ones. Local hockey teams play at rinks in other towns, as an example, not at Ristuccia.

The town is expected to make a bid this week to purchase the rink which was decided by that December Special Town Meeting

Wilmington Town Manager Jeff Hull told selectmen at the board’s meeting last week that Rotondo Enterprises, which currently owns Ristuccia, informed Wilmington High School’s Athletic Director Ed Harrison that the teams would no longer be given ice time come fall.

The rink’s current manager, Bob Rotondo of Rotondo Enterprises has expressed interest in purchasing the rink, seeking to exercise the Right of First Refusal provision in their lease agreement with rink owner Bernie Ristuccia, the Wilmington Town Crier is reporting.

Now they are refusing ice time for the Wilmington High School teams.

And James Reidy, a lawyer representing Rotondo, told the Lowell Sun it’s not a right of first refusal, but rather an “option to purchase.”

Rotondo’s lawyer, James Reidy, said the right is not a “right of first refusal,” but an “option to purchase” and therefore doesn’t require an offer to be triggered. Rotondo Enterprises sent a letter to rink owner Bernie Ristuccia earlier this month saying that he was seeking to activate that right.

Related stories:

• Should Ristuccia Purchase Decision be Repealed?
• Special Town Meeting Approves Purchase of Ristuccia Arena
• Ristuccia Arena Purchase to be Decided Thursday Night
• Should Wilmington Buy Ristuccia Arena?
• Special Town Meeting Warrant Released: Will Town Meeting Decide to Purchase Ristuccia Arena?
• On the Agenda: Wilmington Selectmen to Discuss Special Town Meeting for Ristuccia Purchase