Members of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry board met with two architects from Ankeny Kell to discuss the future of Riverside Arena Tuesday afternoon.

Wednesday, January 19, 2000

Members of the Parks, Recreation and Forestry board met with two architects from Ankeny Kell to discuss the future of Riverside Arena Tuesday afternoon.

While there have been preliminary plans drawn for how to renovate the arena, there is still room for change, both the architects – Elizabeth Thompson and Pamela Anderson – and Parks and Recreation Director Dennis Maschka made clear. And there is a need for flexibility, with a timetable for the county multipurpose building and its two sheets of ice rather uncertain.

"We somewhat have to wait until we see what happens over there," Maschka said.

One concern is whether Riverside should lay down ice for the coming seasons in winter 2000-2001.

"If we’re going to put in ice in November, we may as well just keep it through March," Maschka said.

The plan is to change Riverside into a community center sort of building, with basketball courts in a large open area and several meeting and classrooms to the sides.

Concerns the architects voiced included how to optimally use the structure already there, as well as adding on the Parks and Recreation offices.