The Village of Alert Bay council has directed staff to investigate grants and other opportunities for a Glice ice rink.
Glice is a Swiss-engineered, premium synthetic ice also referred to as zero-energy ecological ice or silicon plastic ice.
Glice artificial ice is used for commercial and home ice skating rinks - in any climate. It is an ecological technology, which reduces energy consumption of conventional ice rinks to zero and limits the use of water to a fraction.
“Council has had some general discussion about Glice, an artificial ice product that would allow for year-round skating,” said Village of Alert Bay Chief Administrative Officer Justin Beadle.
Council discussed an on-island ice rink and how it would allow local skaters and hockey players to practise at home instead of travelling to Port McNeill. It would also attract users from surrounding communities. “Staff is investigating purchase and maintenance costs and potential funding sources, but it has not gone beyond that,” Beadle said.