Relief at the Westfries ice rink in Hoorn. Operator Optisport opens its doors, despite the extra cost of around 400,000 euros. The municipality is meeting the ice rink by postponing the payment of the rent. Due to the high energy prices, it was still uncertain whether the ice rink could open early next month.
“It’s fantastic news,” said Eva Rusman, regional manager at Optisport. On Monday afternoon, operator Optisport, of the Westfries in Hoorn, sat down with the municipality of Hoorn to discuss the future of the ice rink.
The ice rink has an additional cost of 400,000 euros due to rising energy prices. The manager cannot afford it and sent a letter to the municipality. This does not leave the ice rink in the cold: the payment of the rent is temporarily postponed, until the developments at national level are also known.
“We have been saved for a while”, says Rusman, “the municipality is helping us financially, so that we can open on October 1. We are of course very happy with that, also for all skaters and associations who like to come here, although It’s just a temporary solution.”
12 percent more expensive
Despite the help of the municipality, part of the costs also end up with the skaters. The ice rink will increase prices by 12 percent from 1 October. A ride on the ice rink for an adult goes from 7.60 to 8.50.
In April of this year, the ice rink also knocked on the door of the municipality, at that time they were looking at one and a half tons of extra energy costs. At that time, the municipality did not give. Alderman Dick Bennis (Sports and Recreation) now says that he is happy to have found this solution together.
Bennis: “The ice rink is a public sports facility that is important to many people in the Westfriesland region and the province of North Holland. We are now creating some air for this enterprise, without it costing the Hoorn residents anything. phenomenon, we hope that solutions will soon be offered from the government.”