Westmount's icy unveiling: two underground rinks completed

WESTMOUNT - The jewel in the crown of a $40 million project to redo Westmount’s main recreational facilities was unveiled Thursday, as the ribbon was cut on two NHL-sized underground rinks, part of a project that will also see the creation of a new public outdoor pool, indoor facilities and added green space.

One rink will be named after the Molson family and the other for the Desmarais, both powerful longtime leaders of local industry.

About half of the project was paid for by the provincial and federal governments, while another six million was paid for by generous benefactors. The final $14 million is being paid off with a two percent tax hike on Westmount residents which will end after 10 years.

The rinks are considered environmentally friendly, as the underground confines will require less refrigeration to keep the ice cold and the heat used in the arena will be transferred to keep the swimming pool warm.

The pool has yet to be completed but it will be 35 percent larger than its predecessor and will be wheelchair accessible.

The project will also create about 1.5 acres of new green space where the old arena once stood.

“We're surrounded mostly by residential buildings and so on, predominantly they'll be looking out on a landscaped garden, said architecture Erik Marosi of Marosi and Troy Architects.

Some critics argued that Westmount residents would benefit more from an indoor swimming pool rather than a second ice surface, but only a relatively small number of people returned a form to the city asking for further discussion on the issue when it was first proposed.