The City of Casper’s plans to expand the Casper Ice Arena with a second sheet of ice took a major step forward Thursday, as the Casper Planning and Zoning Commission OK’d site plans for the development and voted to recommend approval to the City Council.
Expansion Details
The project, a 44,590-square-foot addition, will increase the facility’s capacity to approximately 900 seats through a phased build-out. The commission’s approval follows a previous decision to table the request to address outstanding technical and design issues.
City Planner Craig Collins said that updated plans resolved these concerns by incorporating new sidewalks, ADA-compliant ramps, and defined crosswalks to improve pedestrian connectivity and safety. Traffic management was a primary reason for the prior delay.
Community Impact
Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director Zulima Lopez said that, should the Casper City Council officially approve the plans, she expects ground on the project to be broken in September, and work is expected to take roughly 18 months. Community members, including Peter Wold and Casper Amateur Hockey Club President Travis St. John, advocated for the project, saying it will bolster youth recreation in the area and make Casper a statewide hub for sporting events.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
