Thursday, May 08, 2008; Posted: 10:11 PM
City officials cut the ribbon, tied across a soccer goal, Thursday afternoon at the central Bakersfield park. It's on Palm Street, just west of HIghway 99.
The rink is an indoor facility designed for roller hockey, but it's outdoors under a metal roof. The tiled floor -- softer than a concrete floor, with some give -- is also striped for basketball.
The rink -- floor, dasher boards, plexiglass and boxes -- was donated by investors in Los Angeles. They bought a building in Lancaster that had been used by an indoor hockey business, but they had no use for the two rinks.
Their Realtor, Vince Roche of Bakersfield, knew what question to ask: "How can I get those courts in Bakersfield so I can play on them?"
The city accepted the two rinks. The other is in storage and slated for the Sports Village on Taft Highway.
The Saunders Park rink has a full slate of activity this weekend -- hockey, basketball, roller derby, wheelchair basketball and soccer teams are all playing or practicing.
The city is lining up a management company to take over the rink, said Allen Abe, assistant director of the city's Recreation and Parks Department. It will be set up for leagues and other scheduled play, he said, and not readily available for drop-in play.
Scott Balan, a player with the Bakersfield Condors hockey team, said he and his teammates are unlikely to use the rink. But it will help kids grow into the game, and it's an easy transition from roller hockey to ice hockey, he said.
The city approved the location of the rink in January 2007, despite opposition from neighbors concerned about parking and crime.
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