Recreation and Parks Commissioner Shelly Curran Bedrossian presented detailed plans to the Select Board on June 25 for a three-phase project that would transform the aging Green Street rink into a $2.6 million sports complex.
The proposal represents the culmination of six years of planning to honor the Larz Anderson bequest, a $3 million trust fund left to the town in 2016 with a “recommended but not binding (gift to) winter sports such as public skating and ice hockey.”
Phase 1, projected to cost $2.639 million and fully funded by the Anderson bequest, would create a refrigerated ice rink with a pavilion-style roof and modular turf system allowing the facility to serve multiple sports throughout the year.
“We want to create a weather-independent sports facility,” Bedrossian told the board. “It’s going to be pay for play, rented sort of by the youth sports programs. It’s going to need a part time employee to drive a Zamboni.”
The current rink measures 170 feet by 70 feet, or 85% of regulation size, which Bedrossian said prevents high school or league games while preserving neighborhood integrity. The new rink will be the same size. The facility would provide consistent ice for 22 weeks annually and convert to a covered turf practice area for the remaining 20 weeks.
“If the ice is clean, dependable and consistent, then it can serve as a supplemental practice rink for youth hockey, a multi-generational community skating surface and a sufficient surface for adult and youth pick-up hockey games,” according to the project overview document.
The design includes a $635,000 refrigerated base, $835,000 pavilion-style roof, $195,000 in boards and glass, and $109,000 in modular turf. A zamboni and garage would cost $175,000, with the town considering a used resurfacer for $50,000.
Marblehead Youth Hockey faces scheduling challenges that the facility would address. Teams currently practice at 7 p.m. or travel to Revere when Lynn and Salem State pull prime 5-6 p.m. ice slots due to contractual obligations.
“Our littles have to go to Revere to practice. They have to practice at 7 p.m. at night,” Bedrossian said. “You have an opportunity to really serve some kids here.”
The project would generate revenue by charging youth sports organizations rental fees comparable to private facilities. Local teams currently pay Tower School $185 per hour and Lynn Connery Rink $235 to $309 per hour for practice ice.
Phase 2, estimated at $1.838 million, would refurbish the adjacent field with synthetic turf, new lighting and softball diamond improvements. The plan calls for an 11-versus-11 turfed field dual-lined for multiple sports, with the option to turf the entire space using different colors for baselines.
“The men’s softball league is the oldest league in the country and should play on a diamond that can proudly represent that history,” the project document states.
Phase 3, budgeted at $493,000, would add ADA-compliant bathrooms, walkways and parking. Town Planner Alex Eitner recommended separating this phase to pursue federal grant funding for accessibility improvements.
The project timeline calls for issuing a request for proposals July 7, opening bids mid-August and awarding the design contract Sept. 1. Construction would begin May 1, 2026, with the first ice sheet available Nov. 1, 2026.
“My goal would be to break ground on May 1,” Bedrossian said, expressing hope for a Nov. 1, 2026, outdoor hockey game to celebrate the opening.
The RFP would cover design services for all three phases and construction management for Phase 1 only. Bedrossian said the approach allows the town to determine buildability before committing to later phases.
“We really need to hire someone first,” she said. “Until we actually have a formal landscape architect or construction manager that can validate what we’ve done, look at the engineers’ studies and say, this could be built there … we can’t, in good faith, ask you to spend that or invest that large amount of money.”
An advisory group includes town officials, youth sports representatives and citizens with municipal recreation experience. The facility would require a part-time employee for maintenance and operations, funded through rental revenue.
The project aims to serve multiple constituencies while addressing longstanding field conditions. The current softball field has “little to no integrity” with “completely dilapidated” lighting that nearly forced cancellation of this year’s men’s softball season.
Select Board members praised the comprehensive planning. Board member Alexa Singer said the proposal addresses critical field space needs while respecting the donor’s intent and planning for long-term maintenance costs.
“I really commend you for really trying to respect what that was and what the wishes were,” Singer said.
The Select Board will vote on authorizing the RFP process at a future meeting, with community engagement sessions planned throughout the design phase.
