Roller Hockey Supporters Plan to Fill Alpharetta Rec Meeting Tonight

Parents of players and other roller hockey enthusiasts will fill the room at tonight's Alpharetta Recreation Commission meeting in an attempt to save Union Hill Park's rinks.

The city's recreation and engineering departments floated an idea to convert part of the park into sand, salt and equipment storage, with space for a future greenway trailhead.

Since that time, some of the people who helped get the park started and who helped in the drive for improvements several years ago have banded together to save the two rinks from demolition or a new use.

Paul Bello, one of the original Friends of Union Hill Park members, jumped in to help find ways to save the park. He envisions a booster club much like the Alpharetta Youth Football Association to support the park and roller hockey program, and to recruit players as young as 4 and 5 years old to play.

"Basically we've got a core group of people who I think will eventually become the board of the booster club," Bello said.

Once word got out about the proposed new use of the park, the group set up to take donations for the organization and gathered grassroots support. More than 500 people have signed an online petition supporting the park, with pledges for donations ranging from $75 to $250.

"We've raised a lot of money in four days," he said.

Ilan Sklar made a $100 pledge. He played two seasons in the over-30 league, having played last a year ago in what he called a competitive league. He finds fault in management of the park and programs.

"I was disappointed to hear about the state of the rink. I hope James [Terry, another park support] and Paul can reinvigorate the rink and the city," Sklar said.

The supporters also made sure they could present their concept to the Recreation Commission at 7:30 p.m. today.

"What we need to do is build a substantial program. Hockey has been going on a long time, but never had booster club support," Bello said.

The booster club will recruit players all the way down to mini mites, those ages 4 and up. Players will be recruited through sixth grade. It will build up players like a feeder program to make it sustaining.

Bello said the city may think not many people are using the park, but skaters go there every day.

"Because it's not part of an organized program within the Rec Department, not being recorded on a paper, folks think it's not happening," he said.

Also, 16 schools use the rink for practice.

Doug and Debbie Lewis were at the park Wednesday night with their sons, Jake and Cole. They've signed the petition and made a pledge in support. Doug said he's offered to do things such as maintenance at the park and helping with programs with other volunteers.

Jeff McNally was with the Lewis family and his own sons, Connor and Taylor, playing some pick up hockey as well.

All their children do is play video games, so the rinks are a great thing to get them out, said Debbie Lewis. McNally agreed with her, and said so many kids play ice and roller hockey at The Cooler and other rinks that the interest in the sport is definitely here.

Tonight Bello hopes to get the Recreation Commission talking to show them they have a model for a booster club program similar to others in the city and a plan for sustaining the program.

One stumbling block for the supporters is that many are from outside city limits, and don't pay city taxes. No Fulton County taxes are used for the city's recreation programs, something many residents don't know. This lack of knowledge party explains the disconnect between area residents who support the park and the city's desire to have a facility that best serves its own residents.

Recreation Director Mike Perry said that his department strives to have at least 40 percent of any program's participants be city residents. The adult league at the park falls far short of this goal.