By Sue Orsen

It didn't happen overnight.  It didn't happen with ease.  And it didn't happen with consensus.  But it happened just the same, and just in time for the New Year.

The Victoria City Council spent its final meeting of the old year not only talking about the possibility of a beautiful and expensive new community facility at Diethelm Park, but moving on it.  They fielded the successful 3-2 vote on a late December Thursday morning after five straight hours of deliberation.  The first hours of discussion occurred much earlier, of course, like more than a year ago, and several times since then.
The successful vote to support (versus build) an arena had occurred on December 28^th, 2000.  That's when the Victoria City Council formally and unanimously approved a resolution voicing support for the concept and preliminary plans of building and operating an ice arena in the new city park. 
A headline in the City Scoop section of the following January 2001 edition of the Gazette reads:  An Ice Arena for Victoria?  Could Become a Reality in the New Year!  It came to pass that the successful vote to build the arena did occur in the final moments of that year, though not quite as big and fancy as previously envisioned.  The reality is, however, that there was a decision to build!
It was on December 20^th, 2001, at 8 a.m. in the Victoria Council Chambers that coffee and bagels were available for all of the early risers.  The vote to approve the building of a field house was finally fielded about 1:00 p.m. that day.  It is a serious move and not without some risk.  The risk seems right and reasonable to those in favor of building the handsome multi-purpose facility for the people of Victoria.
After the vote there was a subdued excitement on behalf of the residents of Victoria who will be the beneficiaries of this decision to build.  Despite dissension in the room, there were some concluding handshakes, good wishes, and words of support. 
Said Councilmember Jerry Bohn, who voted against the facility, "I will go along with this.  I will try to make this work.  I won't badmouth it.  I want it to work."  Councilmember Jim Paulsen came to say, "I second that."  Perhaps these statements portend of other calming and commendable things to come to us in Victoria, and in the world, in 2002.
Those councilmembers who voted in favor of the new facility for Victoria were Mayor Mary Meuwissen, Richard Tieden, and Dave Lindgren.  These three called the building a "field house."  Those councilmembers who voted against the facility were Jim Paulsen and Jerry Bohn.  These two called it an "ice arena."
The obvious implication is that an "ice arena" caters to a small group of youngsters who wear skates more often than tennis shoes, and why should taxpayers support such an expensive project for the few.  On the other hand, a "field house" includes opportunities for other uses for people of all ages and interests throughout Victoria.  Such is the case with plans for this facility.
On December 13th the council had teetered between a 2-3 split and 3-2 split with Dave Lindgren on the swing.  By December 20^th the swing broke and Dave landed next to the field house.  Here's how most of it all went ...

December 13^th, 2001
On Thursday, December 13^th, 2001, Mike Ayres, a volunteer developer for Victoria with Oppidan Investment, and a member of the Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association, thanked the City of Victoria for assisting with the arena at Minnetonka. 
That assistance had arrived in a backhanded manner in 2001 when Victoria approved the Minnetonka Youth Hockey Association's concept and plans for an ice arena to be built at Diethelm Park in Victoria.  At that point the Minnetonka School District switched gears and said it would also accept the proposal.  The Pagel Arena at Minnetonka is now a reality.  Mike Ayres is on the Pagel Activity Center Board.
Victoria is credited with helping Minnetonka get that ice arena and, in fact, a plaque of appreciation is posted at the Minnetonka arena in that regard.  Now, with the volunteer assistance of an appreciative Mike Ayres, Victoria is expected to build its own ice arena in its own field house in 2002.
Said Mike of this new $5 million  facility to be built in Victoria, "The con-struction risk is not the city's.  The $5 million is to be financed with Wells Fargo.  It will go through a formal bidding process and hopefully begin construction in March.  Based on calls I've been getting, a large number of people want to participate in the bidding.  The economy is in our favor right now."
Representatives from the Chaska, Waconia, and Minnetonka hockey associations attended Victoria meetings in December 2000 and again in December 2001.  They are interested in more ice time for their children and are willing to pay for it to the tune of $175 per hour with 7-year contracts.  Said Mike Ayres, "They have to know now if they can count on us to get this built."
A negative vote would mean buying ice time in cities further down the road.  As a central location, Victoria seems suit-ed for the facility.
Plans are similar to a split level house entry as it will be built into the hill at Diethelm Park.  The first floor consists of 38,490 square feet and includes showers and locker rooms, stadium seating for 600, 18,000 square feet of open space, public toilets for park-wide use, storage space, large lobby, and elevators.  It includes concessions and skate rental area.
The upper floor consists of 3,810 square feet and includes a large multi-purpose room that can eventually be divided if desired, with windows overlooking the ice area on one side and the park on the other side.

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