EASTON, Md. - Right now, the Talbot County Community ice rink in Easton is just concrete. Under it is 11 miles of piping to keep the ice cold. However, that piping sprung a leak and failed. What that means for the community is there will be no sports or activities for at least the next few months.
Ice rinks typically have a life expectancy of 30-35 years. According to Director of Talbot County Parks and Recreation Preston Peper, the rink and its system had passed its life expectancy. The ice rink was 44-years-\ old.
"Like your appliances at home or your utilities at home, your water heater or your AC, usually says you get about 10 years out of them. But that doesn't mean at 10 years and one day you're going to go buy a new water heater because it's passed. You basically wait until it doesn't work anymore," says Peper.
The Talbot County Council is considering an emergency bill to cover the cost. That cost would be just under $1 million. And the community center has already starting to prepare for work to be done, before the bill has passed. The entirety of the rink will be replaced. That including the concrete, 11 miles of piping, and all the glass barriers.
Tami Weber, who is a board member for the Eastern Shore Hockey Association, hopes that the bill gets passed quickly.
"That's not just with the hockey team and the figure skating team, I mean even the public skate. They're missing out on revenue, but the kids are just missing that outlet," says Weber.
As of now, the Talbot Figure Skating Team and ESHA are driving hours to other rinks on Delmarva to get that rink time.
Ron Banghart, with the Talbot figure skating team, must travel to other rinks for the time being in order to get ice time.
"We are extremely grateful for what the council is doing right now," Banghart says. "And Preston and the rink too try to get everything situated to get us back up and running as soon as possible. To be able to salvage any part of this season is going to be amazing for us."
The Talbot County Council is holding a public hearing on Oct. 18 for this emergency bill and will possibly vote on it that night. The earliest the rink could be back open is January.