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Spirit Park Project 2024-2025
Project Completed in Nov. 2025 - Spirit Park
In 2022, the City of Delano, Delano Public Schools, and Delano Hockey (Delano Area Sports Arena and Delano Area Youth Hockey Association) established a memorandum of understanding regarding the development of a new ice skating facility. This agreement was centered on the idea of creating a venue that can host various ice activities in both the cold and warmer months of the year. The facility is to be built around the currently existing Delano Sports Arena and will feature a dual ice rink facility, including one open-air, covered sheet of ice and an outdoor pleasure (non-hockey) skating rink. This project is aimed at enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities during winter and offering more space for youth hockey leagues. Additionally, Spirit Park will serve as a year-round venue for other community sports and programs.
Public Skating
Information about public skating can be found on the Spirit Park page, or on the City of Delano Parks and Recreation Facebook page.
Project Overview
At the January 16, 2024 City Council meeting, members approved construction contracts with Apex Construction, including sub-contracts, for the development of a new facility. They also approved a series of agreements with Delano Public Schools to acquire the property for the project, in addition to authorizing shared use agreements with Delano Hockey. The council also agreed to take the necessary actions to issue bonds to help finance the project.
Timeline of Project
February 2022: The City of Delano, Delano Public Schools, and Delano Hockey (Delano Area Sports Arena and Delano Area Youth Hockey Association) establish a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the development of a new community activity/ice skating facility
Spring 2023: City Council solicits initial bids for construction of the facility
October 2023: City Council solicits new request for bids after budget revisions for the facility
December 2023: Discussions are held during City Council meetings going over the project and proposed bids
January 16, 2024: Council authorizes construction contracts with Apex construction and related sub-contracts for construction of facility
January 24, 2024: Park and Recreation Commission opens up public request for residents of Delano to suggest names for the new Community Activity (Ice) Park
February 1, 2024: Form opens for public name suggestions. The form was shared on the city website, city social media accounts, and in the February Delano Digest, which was distributed at local City Offices. Print copies of the Name Suggestion Form were also available at City Hall and the Senior Center.
February 26, 2024: Name suggestion form closed at 5:00 PM
February 28, 2024: Park and Recreation Commission reviewed the names submitted via the online forms, and decided to recommend two names (Glacier Gardens, Spirit Park) for the Council to consider.
March 7, 2024: City Council considers the two recommended names from the Park and Recreation, approving the name "Spirit Park" via a 4-1 vote.
April 2024: Tree-clearing at construction site
Spring/Summer 2025: Construction on site
Fall 2025: Project expected to be complete
Nov. 2025: Project completed
Funding
After unsuccessfully gathering bids that fit within the City's budget in the spring of 2023, modifications to the plan were undertaken to reduce the overall cost of the project. One of these alterations was to use a geothermal cooling system, which would allow the City to use federal funding provided in the Inflation Reduction act of 2022. In October 2023, new bids for the revised project were solicited. The total bid cost for the project with the changes ended up being $5,918,800.
- The City intends to draw funds from the Liquor Enterprise Fund to finance the project.
- Both the City and Delano Hockey agreed to commit $2M ($4M total) to the project, which is $1.9M short of the total cost.
- Delano Hockey has agreed to increase it's funding by $1.4M, contributing a total of $3.4M.
- Having been approved by Council on 1/16/2023, the City plans to contribute the remaining $2.5M.
- The council also agreed to take the necessary actions to issue bonds to help finance the project
Renderings
Please note that the following images are initial renderings and subject to modifications throughout the construction process: