COUNCIL'S COLUMN
by Richard Tieden
Victoria City Council
On December 20^th, 2001, the City Council of Victoria voted to move for-ward with the development of a field house to be constructed in Diethelm Park. 
Although specific details of the facility are still in the planning, one can reasonably expect a 48,000 square foot $4.5 million dollar structure, housing a hockey rink, bleachers, grand foyer, ticket office, kitchen, limited restaurant, party rooms, fitness rooms, weight room, five sets of bathrooms, shower facilities, operations office, an elevator, indoor walking-running track, parking lots, and finally, most importantly, a gathering place for the entire community of Victoria.
Can you picture yourself dropping off your children at one of many park program activities in Diethelm Park, walking the indoor track, perhaps mov-ing on to an aerobics class, showering, ordering a sandwich and cappacino, visiting with friends, and viewing the antique show from the grand foyer?
What about meeting fellow seniors for social, recreational, and educational opportunities?  And yes, yes, yes, yes, finally somewhere our children can gather year 'round to enjoy recreational activities and socialize!
It all began about 15 months ago when the Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association inquired about partnering with Victoria in the building of an ice arena, this after negotiations stalled between the District #276 School Board of Minnetonka and the Hockey Associa-tion in the building of the facility in Minnetonka.
The plan put forth by Mike Ayres of the Hockey Association - he is also a principle with Oppidan Financial - to the City of Victoria was met with great enthusiasm.  The plan received wonder-ful coverage in the media, so wonderful that the Minnetonka School District reconsidered, resumed negotiations with the Hockey Association, and construct-ed what is now known as the Pagel Center.
Victoria City Council, staff, and many citizens were disappointed.  How-ever, Mike Ayres and his team offered to help Victoria research the possibility of the city building a field house on our own.  We commissioned him to the task and, as of today, we have contracted out all the prime time ice for seven years at $175 per hour!  Victoria residents have 200 of those hours. 
We now are working at booking events for April through September and are confident we can generate the necessary revenue of approximately $87,000.  When we look at revenue generated from ice and non-ice activi-ties, concession-restaurant sales, adver-tising, and gate receipts, and then apply that to our projected debt service and operating expenses, we end up with an approximate $125,000 shortfall.
So there you have it - a projected $4.5 million dollar field house for the City of Victoria, with all the amenities and opportunities outlined above, for $125,000 per year.
As an aside, for perspective of what $125,000 buys ... At a city council meeting in December, looking at our capital improvement plan, the building of a shelter in Diethelm Park is estimat-ed to cost $100,000.  Paving the parking lot at Lions Park is estimated to cost $100,000.  Always keep in mind, each year we spend thousands of dollars in park and recreation developments.
So, now that I've got your atten-tion, let's dream on a little further.  Vic-toria is looking at what it would take to build an attached gymnasium to the field house.  If this were done as a total project, tremendous time and money would be saved.
Architectural planning, the move-ment and development of earth, laying of the pad, structural steel, electrical, water, and air conditioning would all be adjusted accordingly.
We have asked the architect work-ing on the field house at this time to move forward with appropriate lan-guage in the bidding process in coming up with a construction cost, which in no way obligates the city at this time.  For us to move forward on this, it would have to be reviewed in detail and then come before the city council for a vote.
It should be noted that a prelimin-ary cost of that gymnasium stands at about $850,000.  Advertising in that facility, additionally, would generate revenue, reducing the cost.  Please think about this, and what it would give you and all the other residents of Victoria.
Victoria City Council, Planning Commission, Park and Rec, city staff, residents, and supporting organizations such as the Lions and the Chamber of Commerce, have been involved and working one way or another in the development of Diethelm Park.
It's been a very exciting time for all of us.  It's been my experience that as our residents become more informed and involved in our community devel-opment, the more they believe that we as a council are moving in a sound and exciting direction, we will continue to seek the advice of the professionals, assess progress and changes, and, above all else, listen to you, our boss.
Although the majority of you are supportive of the field house, and hundreds have told us such, a few have come forward with concerns about why we need the field house and how will it be financed. 
It's important for you to know that your concerns are valid and deserve honest and direct answers, and we have tried to do that.  I encourage all of you to attend the city council meetings and keep yourself current with progress of the field house, as well as the other responsibilities of the city.
So, sit back, close your eyes, picture Diethelm Park in September.  How is it going to serve you?  Your children?  With all the ball fields, Acorn House, the sports court, and the field house, it looks pretty wonderful to me.