Greenwich residents will get their first chance to weigh in on the $41.2 million Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink replacement since the project won town approval this spring.
The Hamill Rink Development Committee (HRDC) will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 by Zoom only, First Selectman Fred Camillo announced in his Oct. 30 newsletter. Before the hearing, the committee will present an update on the rink project and improvements to Morlot Park.
The hearing covers a project years in the making: a new regulation-size skating facility at Eugene Morlot Memorial Park in Byram, along with a relocated baseball field, an upgraded playground, redeveloped parking with electric-vehicle chargers and a new access drive to Western Junior Highway, according to the town's project page.
How to participate
The hearing will be conducted entirely on Zoom. Residents who want to speak can sign up online by noon on Nov. 9 through the town's website. Those who do not sign up in advance can log in and raise their hand after registered speakers finish, Camillo wrote. Comments can also be submitted in advance through the HRDC's web page.
Residents can also call the Office of the First Selectman at 203-622-7710 with questions.
What the project includes
The new rink would be a 40,671-square-foot facility built in the outfield of the current baseball diamond while the existing rink stays open, Patch reported during the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) budget debate in May. Once the replacement opens, the old rink would be demolished and replaced with parking. The current parking lot would then become the new baseball field.
Plans call for a standard-sized ice surface, locker rooms for coed sports, accessibility improvements, infrastructure to support a solar array, restrooms with exterior access for park users and event space with a snack bar, according to the town's project page.
The existing rink opened as an outdoor facility in November 1971 in Byram. It was expanded over the decades but has fallen into disrepair.
A long road to approval
The project cleared several hurdles in 2026. The Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) approved $41.2 million in funding by a 12-0 vote in March, according to the town's project timeline. The Board of Selectmen offered unanimous support in an April statement signed by Camillo, Selectwoman Lauren Rabin and Selectwoman Rachel Khanna.
The RTM then approved the budget, which included rink funding, in May by a vote of 170-13 with one abstention, Patch reported. A motion from Districts 9 and 10 to strip $38.5 million in construction funding failed 54-144.
The RTM approved the municipal improvement proposal in June by a vote of 159-32 with 13 abstentions, as we reported Oct. 9.
What comes next
Camillo formed the nine-member HRDC to help secure private contributions and reduce taxpayer costs through a public-private partnership. Stephanie Cowie chairs the committee, with Dan Izzo as vice chair and Eric LaRosse as secretary.
The town's posted timeline targets completion of architectural and engineering design in December, bidding in January 2027 and a construction start in May 2027.
