TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Starting this weekend Tonawandans will have a new place for indoor recreation, with the opening of the Lincoln Park Athletic Complex.
What used to be an indoor ice rink has been transformed over the past five months into a field house with an artificial turf at a cost of approximately $1.5 million.
"Originally the ice rink was an outdoor rink, and the building was put around it and that was 40 years ago," noted town councilman Carl Szarek, who also serves as chair of the council's Youth, Parks, and Recreation committee.
With 20,000 square feet, the facility will now be able to host indoor baseball, soccer, lacrosse, cheerleading, rugby, and a variety of other sports, as well as providing a place for seniors to walk when sporting events are not taking place.
"The Town of Tonawanda has more recreational facilities than anyone else in upstate New York," Szarek said. "My hope is that it will bring more young families into Tonawanda."
Meanwhile, work continues on the multi million dollar Paddock recreation park, which is being constructed at Brighton town park.
One of its core attractions, a new new ice rink, will be ready soon.
"We had a target date of the first week in March but probably the second or third week but we'll be up and open," Szarek said.