Green Island ice, Trane playground on park department to-do list for 2020

The city of La Crosse is still working with ice rink users to find ways of saving hockey programs at the Green Island arena. 

But city park director Jay Odegaard says the cost of updating the rink equipment is an obstacle to maintaining the ice activities.

“It’s the $2 million, but then it’s also the net loss that we experience in the operating expense,” Odegaard said Tuesday on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk PM (listen to full interview here).

Odegaard says the city needs to find a management team, if Green Island is going to have hockey or skating in the future. 

Tennis courts are scheduled to be built next to the arena this summer.         

Meanwhile, an ambitious playground project at a south La Crosse park could be scaled back a bit, as construction continues. 

Odegaard says the first part of the All-Abilities Trane Park renovation has mostly been completed, with a new shelter being built. 

However, Odegaard adds that the All-Abilities play area may not be developed to the grand scale depicted in early plans.    

A bid on the Trane playground construction could be awarded at the February city council meeting.