Parks officials say rink’s canopy must be reinforced to meet snow-load standards; facility unlikely to open this season
By Damian Mann for Ashland.news
A canopy over the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink fails to meet new building codes for a permanent structure, creating more uncertainty about the popular local attraction.
“The structure doesn’t meet current snow-load standards,” said Rachel Dials, deputy director of Ashland Parks and Recreation, at a Parks Commission study session Wednesday. “I don’t think we’ll be open this season.”
Dials said the manufacturer of the structure, which originally installed the temporary cover, would need to design struts that would help reinforce it.
In addition, the footings to which the canopy is attached need to be reassessed.
Dials said her department is awaiting proposals and cost estimates for the struts and the footings.
She did say strides have been made in the permitting processes to keep the structure up year-round, including the manufacturer receiving a required Oregon engineering permit, but said it would still mean the ice rink couldn’t open this season.
Currently the ice rink is off limits after a temporary permit expired on Oct. 15, 2025.
The Parks Department has bumped into many hurdles since it first sought approval to change the use of the temporary canopy structure and leave it up permanently to help save costs.
The decision to leave the canopy up prompted the need for a permit from the Community Development Department, which required updated structural calculations to meet current building codes.
Rocky Houston, the parks director who has been on leave for undisclosed reasons, was previously in charge of obtaining the permit for a year-round canopy, a process that started in February 2025. Houston previously stated the ice rink wouldn’t open this season.
Prior to the meeting, the Parks Commission held an executive session to discuss the potential dismissal or disciplining of an employee, which many in the community believe is about Houston.
Parks Commissioner Dan Weiner wondered if it would be worth the costs to add the struts and to beef up the footings.
“We could say it would be cheaper to tear down the structure and put it back up,” he said.
The cost to take down and then put up the structure cost about $50,000 a year, plus another $50,000 to hire seasonal staff, according to Dials.
Previously, Houston said the cost to take down and put up the structure amounted to about $100,000.
Because of all the hurdles and the community backlash, the commission wants to hear frequent updates about the status of the ice rink to avoid a similar situation next winter.
Ed Finklea with the Ashland Rotary Club said his organization contributed $25,000 toward the ice rink in 2005.
He encouraged the Parks Department to get the rink reopened.
“We can’t say we’re a kid community and let the kid stuff go,” he said.
On Facebook, Ashland resident Kevin McMillen stated he was going to ask Gov. Tina Kotek to use her executive powers to allow the ice rink to operate this season.
McMillen said he would send a testimonial to the Parks Commission.
Dials, contacted by email Thursday, said there isn’t any way for the city to get around state codes regarding the canopy.
Winburn Way
In other business, the parks commission continued to wrestle with proposals to install a pedestrian walkway on Winburn Way, which winds through Lithia Park.
The walkway would take up to 8 feet of the roadway and the commission felt it would improve the “perception” of being an unsafe route.
Specifically, the commission, which previously tabled discussion of a “Y” intersection at Winburn and Granite Street, looked at two options to create disability parking and a disability ramp that would lead up to the Japanese Gardens.
The first option would create two disability parking spaces on the Japanese Garden side of Winburn. The roadway would narrow somewhat through this area to accommodate the parking.
The second option would move the pedestrian pathway on the other side of Winburn off the roadway to provide additional space for vehicles. A center-line would also be installed.
The walkway across the street from the Japanese Gardens and near the pickleball courts would be made of decomposed granite.
Parks Commission Chair Jim Bachman said he would like to have a third option that is a variation of the second option but without the center line because it would detract from the ambiance of being in a park.
“The less auto-centric the better,” he said.
Commissioner Rick Landt said he didn’t think the disability ramp was designed properly.
“They don’t meet ADA (Americans with Disability Act) requirements,” he said.
Dials, deputy parks director, responded, “We can double-check that it meets the requirements.”
An engineering firm designed the ramp to meet ADA requirements.
Despite the engineering firm’s drawings, Landt said the ramp needed railings and he disputed that the grade for the ramp met ADA grade requirements.
Bachman said, “We’re arguing about the facts.”
Most of the Parks Commission said they were ready to vote on some version of the walking path proposal at an upcoming meeting.
But Commissioner Dan Weiner said he would like a different route for the ramp that wouldn’t interfere with any trees.
“There is no way I can support putting in a path and carve up that magnolia,” he said.
Kevin Caldwell, Ashland parks superintendent, said the ramp would require removing one lower branch from the magnolia tree.
During the public comment period, Ashland resident Sharon Bryson criticized the parks department for using glyphosate-based weed killer.
She said other communities have banned glyphosate.
“Bringing that poison into our neighborhoods is beyond appropriate,” she said.
Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at dmannnews@gmail.com.
Jan. 9, 2026: Corrected spelling of Kevin McMillen’s name.
Related stories:
Ashland parks commission to review ice rink closure, Winburn Way safety project during Wednesday study session (Jan. 5, 2025)
Silence from city fuels uncertainty over Ashland Parks & Rec director’s future (Dec. 19, 2025)
Parks & Rec: Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink won’t open this season (Dec. 11, 2025)
Ashland ice rink might not open this season (Dec. 4, 2025)
Permitting snag delays Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink opening (Nov. 21, 2025)
City’s ice rink to get important updates in coming season (Sept. 18, 2024)
Aging Ashland ice rink infrastructure may have to be replaced, commissioners told (May 2, 2024)
Ice rink issues, parking on Winburn Way through Lithia Park top APRC special meeting agenda Wednesday (May 1, 2024)
