Arun District Council supports temporary ice rink
Arun District Council members voted on a petition which was presented to full council asking that consideration be given to a permanent ice rink being incorporated into regeneration plans for Bognor Regis.
The petition was delivered to Arun District full council meeting on 2 May 2018 by Bognor Regis Civic Society and was debated at full council on 12 September 2018.
The petition stated “In view of the tremendous success of the Christmas temporary ice rink, we, the under signed of the petition, ask Arun District Council to incorporate a permanent, quality ice rink, possibly multi-use, into the Bognor Regis regeneration plans currently under consideration.”
The Council was delighted with the success of the temporary ice rink last winter and we are working with the operators to secure a similar facility for this year and beyond. Part of the Arun District Council Linear Park proposal also includes an entertainment space which could be used for this purpose. We have several options to ensure that residents and visitors can continue to enjoy this attraction over the festive period.
The physical practicalities of providing a permanent ice rink in the centre of Bognor Regis provide challenges of their own and this was covered in detail in the officer report presented at the meeting.
The Council’s Winter Garden plans which form part of the current Bognor Regis regeneration proposal, has the scope to provide a multifunctional space alongside an extensive entertainment complex, as agreed in the master plan.
When considering the recommendations, Cllr Mrs Gillian Brown, Leader of Arun District Council supported option four which states “The Council welcomes the support given to the seasonal temporary ice rink and will continue to work positively with commercial operators to the successful delivery of similar events in the future. Regarding a permanent facility, the Council will provide non-financial support to any commercial operator who has a sound business case to deliver such a facility on the outskirts of the town.”
This option was supported by the majority of Councillors.