SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Schenectady County Legislature will consider a resolution to invest $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to expand and renovate the Schenectady County Recreational Facility (SCRF) at their regular meeting on February 14, 2023, which will be held at Yates Elementary. The resolution unanimously passed through the Public Facilities, Transportation, & Infrastructure Committee last night.
The expansion plan includes the addition of 4,660 square feet of space for four new locker rooms, an additional changing room, expanded restroom facilities, and a new and larger front entrance. It also includes a new exterior modern façade, a new room for activities, and extends the parking lot approximately 30 spaces. If passed by the Legislature, the project is expected to move through the architectural rendering process and go out to bid this year with a target build and completion timeline of summer 2024.
“Our county ice rink offers affordable entertainment for residents of all ages, and this capital investment will make it a more welcoming space,” said Anthony Jasenski, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. “An updated and spacious building will attract more families and visitors from across the Capital Region and be an asset to our community for years to come.”
Schenectady County Recreational Facility
Located at the County Airport in the Town of Glenville, SCRF currently supports more than a dozen Schenectady Youth Hockey Association teams, several adult hockey leagues, and two high school teams. The rink hosts hundreds of hockey games every year and offers a wide range of programs from ice skating to hockey, including learn-to-skate programs and introduction to hockey. In 2022, attendance exceeded 25,000 people during open skating and generated approximately $365,000 in revenue. Additional information about SCRF, including the rink schedule, is available at www.schenectadycounty.com/recreation-facility.
As part of the resolution, the County’s Recreational Facility would be renamed the “Schenectady County Ray Wemple Memorial Rink” to recognize Mr. Wemple’s years of service as the Vice President of the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association (SYHA) and commitment to the rink. Ray Wemple retired from the Schenectady Police Department in 1989 and was a long time Schenectady County employee.