Feb. 16, 2024 4:45p
(WGTD)---The citizens group that’s been working for the past several years to raise money to build Racine County’s first ice arena is closing in on its goal.
Mike Frontier is president of the Racine County Ice Center. Mark Hertzberg is the group’s secretary. Both were recent guests on WGTD’s Morning Show.
A crucial deadline is coming up this spring when the county board will be asked to borrow $5 million for the project.
The non-profit has already raised $8.2 million of it's $10 million goal. Hertzberg says the citizens group would like to meet its goal by the time the board is ready to vote. "We need our fellow citizens to step forward and go to the website," he said. "That last 18% we have to raise is the hardest 18% to raise."
Contributions are being accepted on the group’s website.
Current thinking calls for the county to build the center at Franksville Park and contract a third party to run it.
Several unsuccessful attempts to build an indoor ice rink for hockey and skating were made in recent decades.
A feasibility study that was conducted recently found a great demand for such a facility in the Racine area. Two indoor rinks currently exist in Kenosha and another to the north of Racine in South Milwaukee.
Plans for an ice arena in Racine County were jump-started by a $5 million gift from an anonymous donor.
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