Comments on: Silver Spring civic center short on cash

By: rockcreekvillager

rockcreekvillager — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:24:38 +0000

Excuse me? it would add to cost to cancel the ice rink with it’s $4 million roof? what are the costs of a green space and its maintainence in comparison to construction and maintenance of an ice rink. My guess is a green space is not only more friendly to the environment and gives more months of usability — it is also less expensive to maintain? Less energy usage for example. At least if its planned right.

Editor’s note: Just to clarify, the cost of construction increases with delays. That includes any delays that may occur if the ice rink or its roof go back to the drawing board. — JD (Jun 29, 2008)

By: pj

pj — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:15:15 +0000

I like the idea of a fountain.It would do well there. 4 million dollars for the rink roof is outrageous. Hasn’t any of the local politicians questioned this cost? I bet we can score a nice fountain for $4 million dollars and use the rest of the $17 million dollars on the transit center. The ice rink will be a complete failure.

By: Springvale Roader

Springvale Roader — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:42:03 +0000

The fountain is a good idea, along with sculptures and similar works of art. Also, please let’s get some benches there. It’s ridiculous that people need to either stand or sit on the turf (where I saw a dog pee not to long ago), not to mention unfair to the elderly or people who have a tough time sitting on the ground.

I admit that I feel in love with the public squares I visited in Europe; I’d love to see a version of those beautiful spaces here in Silver Spring.

By: Jennifer Deseo

Jennifer Deseo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:27:38 +0000

Yeah, I’d like to see a water element, too. Certainly something that one can splash around in.

By: Thayer-D

Thayer-D — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:12:46 +0000

Just get rid of the ice skating rink already. Nothing against ice skating per say it’s just that we don’t exactly live in a wintery climate. The use of the ice skating rink canopy as a performance stage makes no sence at all because the portico of the Civic Center (as stage) along with the Veteran’s Plaza (as seating) are much better suited for that function, along with being right there. There should be some trees mirroring the Ellsworth edge tree promenade with some grass in the middle and there would be your savings. If one insisted on the rink, we should take a que from the Sculpture Garden on the Mall which has a large fountain at the center for most of the year which is converted to a rink during the winter. As hot as it gets, a fountain at the center of the space would guarantee Veterans Plaza’s success, along with reinforcing Silver Spring’s image.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:09:25 +0000

How typical of the Montgomery County government to blame the turf huggers for delaying construction of the Civic Center.