Ice Den to get upgrades

The Whitefish City Council July 2 approved the purchase of upgraded equipment for the Stumptown Ice Den that could extend the rink’s operational season.

The council OK’d the purchase of three compressors and adding a chiller tower to the ice rink. The cost of the upgrade is $140,000.

“This will increase our efficiency,” parks director Karl Cozad said. “This will give us a few extra weeks on each end of our season with the new compressors.”

A typical season begins the second week in September and ends the second week of April. With the improvements to the system, the rink has the potential to extend the season with an opening date in mid-August and running as late as May, according to Cozad.

The purchase, which is included in the fiscal year 2013 budget, needed to be approved now so the equipment could be installed in August before the rink opens for the season.

Three of the four compressors in the existing cooling system at the rink have been in use since the rink was established as an outdoor facility in the 1990s. The use on the compressors has far exceeded a typical use history for that type of compressor. An ice rink consultant earlier this year recommended the compressors be replaced and the chiller tower added to increase the efficiency of the rink, according to Cozad.

The Ice Den has become increasingly popular with a number of activities all vying for ice time including hockey, figure skating, curling and public skating.

Due to unseasonable warm temperatures in fall 2011, the opening of the rink was delayed.

“To operate all 12 months we’d have to have a different system,” Cozad said. “At least this gives us a few extra weeks.”

In other news:

• Council approved two separate conditional use permits for accessory apartments above garages. One is at 80 Montana Avenue and the other at 121 Second Street West.

• Approved a minor variance to allow the Whitefish Fire Department to use an additional marina slip beyond those allowed at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake.