Please support a feasibility study to support new ice rinks in Anne Arundel County, Annapolis area. Youth hockey is quickly growing, with the success

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1 Please support a feasibility study to support new ice rinks in Anne Arundel County, Annapolis area. Youth hockey is quickly growing, with the success of the Washington Capitals plus their partnership with the NHL to implement a "free" Learn to Play initiative, the numbers of young children trying the sport in the area is exploding. Competing rinks in PG, Howard and Montgomery counties will reap the benefits of these children due to a lack of ice in Anne Arundel. Trust me, hockey parents WILL travel for ice time. Currently, the Naval Academy and Piney Orchard are the only two rinks in AA and both are (currently) one sheet rinks and at Navy, you are at the mercy of the USNA teams and the ice slots they wish to utilize, further cutting down on ideal time slots for youth recreational team program use. If we continue to lose Anne Arundel families to other counties, now while the iron is hot with Learn to Play we could never get them back out of club loyalty. Navy Youth Hockey is exploding right now with a large portion of the club being in the younger U12 age groups. LTP is only going to exacerbate that number. Without ice to offer these families WILL go elsewhere. Families South of 97 struggle to get to Piney for time slots due to traffic, and therefore would likely choose an out of county rink that is easier to access. Some AA County Middle and High Schools already use out of county rinks for practice and games due to lack of resources. Many counties do a mixed use (ice and terf) facility in order to accommodate indoor soccer/lacrosse. This would 1/2/2018 be an ideal venture for the feasibility study/design. Please make this a priority for our county. A South county aquatic facility is needed and would be put to good use. Riva is overwhelmed and inconvenient for many South county residents. Diving boards would be an added value. My children need to travel to UMBC for diving instruction currently. A water slide and other fun pool designs for kids like 1/2/2018 Glen Burnie would also be a draw. I d love to see an outdoor street hockey rink included in the plan. You could even make one out of old 12/31/2017 tennis courts. Just an enclosed area with boards would be suffice to play hockey. I would like to see building outdoor street hockey rinks included in the LPPRP. I think a great addition to the plan would be an outdoor street hockey rink, I play all the time with my friends and we think there is a large amount of Anne Arundel County residents who d make use of it. I d love to see an outdoor street hockey rink included in the plan. You could even make one out of old tennis courts. Just an enclosed area with boards would be sweet. The plan looks great, I think a great addition would be an outdoor street 12/31/2017 hockey rink.

2 12/31/2017 I would like to see building outdoor street hockey rinks included in the LPPRP. I think a great addition to the plan would be an outdoor street hockey rink, I play all the time with my friends and we think there is a large amount of Anne Arundel County residents who d make use of it. I d love to see an outdoor street hockey rink included in the plan. You could even make one out of old tennis courts. Just an enclosed area with boards would be sweet. The plan looks great, I think a great addition would be an outdoor street hockey rink. The Draft LPRPP 2017 Executive Summary omits the 2013 LPRPP s commitment to land preservation of the Resource Conservation Areas of the Chesapeake Bay. This should be a continuing commitment and retained in the current document s ES. The 2017 LPRPP indicates that lands purchased primarily for natural resource conservation are listed as such and are not counted in the park and recreation land, however, in Appendix A s open space inventory Beverly Triton Beach Park has been reclassified from a Natural Resource Area/OS to Undeveloped Area. It appears that commitment to land preservation can be erased by Rec & Parks with the mere reclassification of thirty three year old zoning classed Resource Conservation Areas to Undeveloped Rec & Parks inventory in the LPRPP. This is not land preservation or evidence of commitment to a long range plan. Appendix A could serve as a permanent record of progress toward goals absent the periodic reclassification of strategic parcels of land. The pairing of survey results with developed park need lists doesn t seem reasonable. As an example, respondents of many cited surveys primarily listed passive activities as top preferences for park activities, yet the future development focuses on power boat ramps and indoor sports facilities. The County should focus on supporting activities with minimal investment in equipment, as these are life sports which do not go in an out of use with population and income changes. These also can be enjoyed seasonally with a minimum investment in 12/31/2017 infrastructure. I think a great addition to the plan would be an outdoor street hockey rink, I play all the time with my friends and we think there is a large amount of Anne Arundel County residents who d make use of it. You could even make one out of old basketball or tennis courts. Just an enclosed area with boards would be 12/31/2017 sweet.

3 12/30/2017 Both of my boys play ice hockey with the Navy Youth Hockey League and have played a multitude of sports with the Green Hornets. Fields have been constructed and made available for sports such as lacrosse, soccer, baseball and football but no attempt has been made to add ice rinks in the county even though rinks are desperately needed. Ice rinks would provide jobs for county residents, and they would also bring a source of revenue to the county by way of visitors to the rinks needing food and lodging especially during tournaments. I would like to see the county make building new ice rinks a priority in /30/2017 As an Anne Arundel county resident I loved to see an outdoor street hockey rink, complete with boards, maybe nets if funding allows. Ever year I organize a Winter Classic with at least 30 other Anne Arundel County residents. Most years we have to compete with other Anne Arundel County residents for court space on the Riva Park courts because there are so many people that play street hockey. Even though I am now home only 6 weeks of the year since I go to college out of state, I play street hockey with my friends at least 10 times a year. These street hockey courts could also be used by other Anne Arundel County residents to play pick up soccer, like futsal. I personally know atleast 50 other Anne Arundel county residents that frequently use turf fields to play pick up soccer but often we just pull the goals closer or use lacrosse nets because of the size of the field. With a street hockey court, we could play futsal with out taking up space on a much larger field. Ever time I play at outdoor street hockey rinks at college, I always wish that we had a court to play on at home. If you have any questions or concerns about including an outdoor street hockey court into the LPPRP. As a county resident for the last 20 years my family has participated in a variety of athletic leagues and the Parks & Rec sports venues are ample and well maintained, with the exception of one particuar athletic amenity. The county is in need of a ice park / arena so that the opportunity to offer skating programs can be realized. As ice based sports grows in popularity within the county the concept of a public ice facility would be considered a lucrative all year round offering to AA residents. Public / private partnerships can 12/30/2017 be made to finally provide a recreational ice facility as the popular demand for such a venue grows. 12/30/2017 Would love to see an ice rink for hockey, figure skating, and public skating.

4 12/30/2017 Would LOVE to see an ice rink for youth hockey players. Youth hockey is a rapidly growing sport in this community and it is difficult for the kids to get ice time. They also have to frequently travel to other states for tournaments. It would be great if AAC had a place we could host tournaments and where the kids could get the ice time they need at an affordable cost. 12/30/2017 Youth hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. It is a wonderful sport for developing young people and it is growing for both girls and boys. I would like to see our county more invested in this sport, mostly in terms of facilities. We are lacking in quantity and quality of ice rinks compared to our neighbors. The county can support in terms of allowing for development of such facilities, as well as planning and potential financing. I am a Crownsville resident who is 100% behind the development of the former mental hospital property into a recreational hub. This is the perfect central location for a multi rink ice facility which will serve both hockey and figure skating, and would draw people from other areas for tournaments and events, resulting in positive revenue for local businesses and for the county. I believe that South County has been overlooked in available Parks and Rec. programs and facilities. You 12/30/2017 should put an indoor pool or waterpark facility with outdoor playground in south county. I think it would be great to add a ice rink facility with two sheets of ice. This area is lacking sheets of ice and the sport of hockey has been growing for years. Please consider adding a skating facility when 12/30/2017 considering Anne Arundel County s LPPRP. I would love to see another uce ri nk in AA County. The ones at Quuet Warers Park and the Navy are always full. Additionally, Youth Hockey is experiencing a surge in interest throughout the US. The teams 12/30/2017 full up locally and some kids do not get to play. Please consider another rink. Investing in facilities for youth Athletics is an excellent use of County funds. Youth Aesthetics serves as an outlet for children to develop skills such as teamwork, competitiveness, and fairness. As a result I would like to see the county invest in improving and expanding facilities for youth Athletics. We are sorely lacking and ice rink for Youth Hockey. I would highly recommend and request consideration to build a new ice rink 12/30/2017 facility. 12/30/2017 I am in support of having an indoor swim center built in South County.

5 12/30/2017 Please fund the recommended indoor swimming facility for South County. We and many of our neighbors currently take our children to Prince Frederick in Calvert for indoor swimming, as it is newer and not much farther than the Annapolis pool. An indoor swim facility would assist in keeping families healthy, particularly in an area with few real walking opportunities such as sidewalks or trails. Leaving kids with nothing to do leads to trouble, and the demand for recreational opportunities in this part of the county are great. Again, I urge you to fund an indoor swimming facility for South County.

6 12/29/2017 I would like to see an indoor pool built in South county. 12/28/2017 While the 2017 plan recommends an indoor swim center as part of the South County Small Area Plan, it is not yet in the capital budget. It is vitally important to add a indoor public pool in South County. This is an area surrounded by water and the kids need to learn to swim. There is not a close indoor pool nearby. The competitive swimmers in the area do not have a pool to swim at that is reasonable distance. Swimming is an excellent activity and would help our growing population of seniors to exercise. At the same time it would add to the sense of community in South County. Please, please add this to our capital budget. To Whom It May Concern, Accordning to the draft LPPRP, there isn't any mention for a facility for those with disabilities to have access to the water. As the county has the Magothy River and Chesapeake Bay running straight through it, with many other rivers, this seems like a huge oversight. I believe that making access to the water for those with disabilities, and the elderly, should be a top priority for the state in the coming years. A facility with boating, canoeing, kayaking, etc would be a huge improvement to the county and the residents that live here. Collaborating with Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating would help share the investment of this project. Please consider 12/28/2017 amending the LPPRP to include an adaptive boating center for Anne Arundel County. We really need a pool in south county! Annapolis and Glen Burnie are too far, so we have to use Prince Frederick...we hate supporting 12/28/2017 non AA county parks and Rec! I m delighted to learn about the possibility of a rec center and indoor pool development in the SoCo community. This would be a 12/27/2017 wonderful opportunity for all AA county residents. I fully support the plan of such development. South County of Anne Arundel County is in desperate need of an indoor swim facility or complex. Please consider this I tot he /27/2017 budget plan. 12/27/2017 I am in favor of building a pool in south county. Please give South County an indoor pool. I am disabled with Multiple Sclerosis. The nearest pool is at the Annapolis high school which is 12/27/2017 too far for me to drive, exercise and then attempt to drive home is too much for me to do. Please think of us for this project. South County is in desperate need of recreational facilities for youth and adults alike. There are no indoor or outdoor pools available to residents. Kids are bored and this only invites trouble. Aquatic facilities would not only be welcome for recreation for children, adults, and seniors but would also allow for employment of our local residents as lifeguards, instructors, and other personnel. I greatly support 12/27/2017 an aquatic center in South County.

7 12/27/2017 I live in Lothian, in South County, and our family would love an indoor swimming pool. It is too hard for our kids to participate in after school swimming teams when the pool is 35 min away. Our children are missing out on a very fun and fulfilling sport. I have a low vision child who cannot play most team sports, but is super great at swimming. It would be amazing if he had the opportunity like other kids in our county. An indoor pool would be an excellent and much needed addition to south county. The closest indoor pool is minutes away making 12/27/2017 participation in youth programs difficult for my children who love to swim and used to be on a swim team when we lived in Va. My comments are that I did not see anything related to access for watersports: sailing, kayaking, etc. ; Specifically for adaptive sailing. The county has a growing population of older residents and some accomodation for adaptive sailing/ boating capabilities would be good. Also note that these can be used for persons with disabilities and youth from at risk communities. In general, anything we can do to 12/27/2017 increase access for these constituents the better. I'm excited by the plan to add an indoor pool is South County. I have two children and we currently go to Calvert County for swimming; I'd prefer my money stay in the county! We would be regular users of a pool, as so many of our neighbors would be. I would love the pool to be a multi functional space to support water park, spa, walking track, party rooms, etc. Thank you for continuing to make AA county a 12/27/2017 great place to live. While the county is a leader in educating people with disabilities, there are no recreational facilities for those individuals. The plan should include concrete steps to give disabled people access to the Chesapeake Bay and activities on the water. Otherwise, we relegate our 12/26/2017 disabled citizens to second class status in the County. Please consider the important work that Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) does for our community when making your 12/25/2017 decision. 12/24/2017 Having been a resident of Anne Arundel county for over six years, I've found one of my favorite recreational activities is sailing in and around Annapolis. This past year, I became a volunteer skipper for the Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) organization and witnessed first hand the transformative effect that small boat sailing can have on at risk youth and individuals with physical and metal disabilities. It is for this reason I believe the draft LPPRP is missing a key idea that could benefit the underserved population of people with disabilities in the county: a dedicated Adaptive Boating Center. Such a facility owned by the county could provide adaptive sailing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, SUPing, etc for persons with disabilities and youth from at risk communities. Organizations like CRAB that already serve these communities would benefit from a dedicated facility as well. CRAB currently operates out of Sandy Point State Park, and during the summer weekends when the park fills up quickly, CRAB guests are often turned away.

8 12/24/2017 I am an Anne Arundel County resident since 1985; age is 66 yrs now. While Mr Schuh has deplored the lack of water access in the County in general, there has been no discussion of water access for the disabled. There is an urgent need for boat ramps, docks, and landings with access to wheelchairs, walkers, canes as wells as for people with mental challenges of all ages. There needs to be a path to boats, as well as bathroom facilities in those areas. Since we are lucky to have the well known organization CRAB in our County, we need to offer more opportunities for adaptive boating to our residents. 12/24/2017 I have read the Guiding Policies, Investment Priorities, and the Relationship of Priorities to Needs in the Anne Arundel County Land Preservation, Parks & Recreation Plan. No where in the document does it mention plans for facilities for persons with disabilities. Given that the plan states the over 65 population is expected to double in the not too distant future, it seems reasonable to expect that a large portion of this population will have a disability of some type. Under Guiding Policies, #10 it states, "Addressing the recreation and related health needs of the County's growing elderly population is an important priority." Other than an investment in pickleball facilities and on a secondary needs list, indoor swimming, there doesn't seem to be any specific parks and recreation investments to address the needs and quality of life for the elderly or persons with disabilities in AACO. It would be my recommendation that the connection to the water, specifically Chesapeake Bay, be a primary funding priority for the County and persons with disabilities. The construction or acquisition of an Adaptive Boating Center to provide a wide range of sailing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, SUPing, etc for the elderly and persons with disabilities should be near the top of the list of projects to be initiated to address the recreation needs of AACO residents. By working with organizations like Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating this need not be a complex or monumental effort for the Parks & Recreation Department. Please consider amending the LPPRP to address the demand for an Adaptive Boating Center in AACO. LPPRP 2017 Draft appears to neglect responding to needs of AAC physically/intellectually DISABLED. I.E, an Annapolis area "ADAPTIVE" BOATING CENTER. A dedicated Pier,dock,pking, equipment, trained staff for adaptive sailing, canoeing & kayaking. Providing groups of youngsters/adults and also youths from at risk communities with experiences of lifetime. Recreational, plus available preparation for competitive activities i.e. Special Olympics, Int'l ParaOlympics, local Adaptive Regattas. AAC Rec/Parks can lead the way in this aspect of 12/23/2017 American Disabilities Act. I am writing to give my support to the creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB and other water sports to provide persons with 12/23/2017 disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy Chesapeake Bay.

9 As the grandfather and guardian of a teenager with Spina Bifida I would certainl like this plan contain delivery of an Adaptive Sailing Center. Sailing is one of the few outdoor sports that I have found people with physical challenges to thrive in. I certainly hope you will 12/22/2017 take this suggestion into consideration for implementation. I support the creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB and other water sports to provide persons with disabilities the same 12/22/2017 opportunity to enjoy Chesapeake Bay as other county residents. The CRAB Organization is an outstanding group, with a tremendously positive influence on our local community. I am honored to have become a volunteer for the group this summer, and intend to continue in the years to come. The creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB will allow their benefits to AA County to grow even more. A boating center will allow access to the Chesapeake Bay for the underprivileged, handicapped, and under served members of our county, and make it more convenient than its current facility at Sandy Point. Appreciation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed should be nurtured, and this organization's actions have very positive and farreaching effects on our local ecosystem. I truly hope the county will recognize this organization for its unique position in our water 12/22/2017 friendly community, and support it with this proposed facility. I support the creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB and other water sports to provide persons with disabilities the same 12/22/2017 opportunity to enjoy Chesapeake Bay as other county residents. 12/21/2017 Create an adaptive water center for Crab. Ann Arundel County needs a sailing facility dedicated to the needs of handicapped sailors. CRAB has provided the necessary equipment, 12/21/2017 personnel, and volunteers for decades. The County now needs to provide the place. Please help CRAB have and adaptive boat center. It is a very well run program for helping folks enjoy sailing the water and enhancing 12/21/2017 their skills. 12/21/2017 I support accessible accommodations for people who are disabled so that they can enjoy the Chesapeake just as much as other citizens.

10 12/21/ /21/2017 I am a quadriplegic and have been confined to a wheelchair since 1982 as a consequence of a spinal cord injury. This was the result of an accident and has had obvious repercussions on my activities of daily living, as well as my ability to find meaningful recreational outlets. However, I have become an avid sailor with the Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating program (aka CRAB). In short, this has been a tremendous life changing opportunity for me. I can only say the best things about the work that they do, especially considering that they have been bring sailing to Anne Arundel residents with disabilities for over 25 years. The creation of a dedicated adaptive sailing and water sports center to serve the disabled members of our community would be a fantastic resource to Anne Arundel County. Sailing is a vibrant sport for those with disabilities and it gives us an equal opportunity to experience the joy and beauty of the Bay, which is a national treasure that should absolutely be shared by everyone. I strongly urge the county leadership to provide the resources needed to move this initiative forward. I believe an adaptive boating center would be very beneficial to the community. This would provide a diverse recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and an attractive part of the community. People with disabilities have a very limited amount off resources, and almost no recreational activities. Currently the disabled sailing program is housed at Sandy Point State Park which is an excellent facility. However, the park cannot be accessed at all times and is difficult to get into due to the number of other users. An adaptive boating center would solve this issue by being open at all times. 12/21/2017 I support the draft plan in general, but urge the county to include creation of an adaptive boating center that organizations such as Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating could use to enable people with disabilities to enjoy and appreciate the Chesapeake Bay up close. CRAB is attracting an increasing number of people wanting to use its services. We can expect more "Wounded Warriors" to begin taking advantage of CRAB's services. Demographic trends show the county's population ages 65 and older are to increase. People in this age group are not only CRAB clients, but volunteers as well. In addition, it's just a good thing to do. I was the founder of Box of Rain, a local boating program for disadvantage Annapolis youth (8 16 years old). We have been in operation for 15 years and give opportunities for kids who don't have access for water activities to participate. Very limited water access in AA 12/21/2017 County. This would be important for several groups to be able to have water access. It is good that a compilation of the county's natural and recreational resources has been made. I would like to urge that access to those 12/21/2017 resources by handicapped individuals be kept in mind. We support all efforts to improve and extend the facilities that make our water fronts available to all residents. Your help is always 12/21/2017 appreciated.

11 There is no question that the CRAB facilities at the Sandy Point Park projects a human quality and compassion for recreation for all, without discrimination. Better still visitors to this Facility should be allowed a pre arranged Pass so as to relieve the back up line during summer weekends. They should also be relieved of per person charges if they arrive in a vehicle,charged for entrance and the included 12/21/2017 parking per car. As a long time volunteer and one time Project Director, I continue to support CRAB for Sandy Point. My wife Ann and I are contributors to CRAB and are writing to support the need and benefit of an adaptive Boating center for persons of 12/21/2017 disabilities to better enjoy water sports and the Bay. I support the creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB and other water sports to provide persons with disabilities the same 12/21/2017 opportunity to enjoy Chesapeake Bay as other county residents. Please strongly consider the creation of an adaptive boating center for CRAB and other water sports to provide persons with disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy Chesapeake Bay as other county residents!!! There is nothing like being on the Bay...especially for those in 12/21/2017 need. 12/21/2017 I urge the county to create an adaptive boating center for C.R.A.B. and other water sports to provide those with disabilities the same opportunity to enjoy the Bay as other residents. As a C.R.A.B. volunteer, I have personally seen the change this makes in people's lives whether they be physically or developmentally challenged or children at risk. 12/18/2017 With the growth in youth hockey, I would like to see more emphasis on developing ice rinks in the county. Although I understand this is not the Midwest, but for example, when I lived in Toledo, Ohio, there were four centers (6 rinks) within 15 minutes of my house. Dual use centers with both athletic fields (ex:soccer) and hockey would greatly benefit the county.

12 I am the President of Navy Youth Hockey Association and over the years we have seen an increase in our registrations. Currently we play at the BSC rink, however, we take a back seat to the Naval Academy teams and over the years their program has increased in size which has cut back the ice availability for our group. Ice time from other rinks is impossible since other organizations have grown and have added multiple ice sheets. Below are some key points to why we need to have more ice sheets in our county. The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county NYH may be required to limit our growth over the coming years without additional nearby facilities. This is especially true as we continue to work with the NHL and others to make our 12/15/2017 sport more accessible to the general public. With two kids playing hockey and one on the way I feel the county is in desperate need of more ice. We as a county are falling behind and 12/14/2017 losing players to other areas due to lack of a available ice!!!!! 12/14/2017 We need additional ice hockey rink(s). The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockeyready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county Navy Youth Hockey may be required to limit its growth over the coming years without additional nearby facilities. This is especially true as it continues to work with the NHL and others to make its sport more accessible to the general public.

13 12/13/2017 I do hope that you will rethink the exclusion of ice rinks in this plan. AA County is severely lacking in sheets of ice compared with other counties in our region. Youth hockey for both boys and girls is one of the fastest growing sports in the area. I have to travel to PG County or Easton for my son to play, and as I do we spend money there on hotels, dinner, shopping and not in AA County. One key note is that through fees the Bowie Ice Arena makes roughly 80% of operating costs back from the Bowie Hockey Club. Bowie is entirely focused on the community as well whereas the youth of the Annapolis area must carve out time when available from the Navy complex.

14 12/12/17 Our region has some of the fastest growth in youth hockey participation, and the NHL is campaigning to drive even faster growth. Anne Arundel County has only one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county Please, let's plan for another rink, for both hockey and figure skating use. 12/11/17 The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county NYH may be required to limit our growth over the coming years without additional nearby facilities. This is especially true as we continue to work with the NHL and others to make our sport more accessible to the general public. 12/11/17 The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county NYH may be required to limit our growth over the coming years without additional nearby facilities. This is especially true as we continue to work with the NHL and others to make our sport more accessible to the general public. Thank you for your consideration of this issue!

15 Please add to the number of indoor ice hockey rinks in the county. The current number of rinks is not sufficient for this 12/11/17 sport which is growing quickly in popularity. There are not enough Ice rinks in this area, plain & simple. Ice time is in short supply, so kids practice times are late at night, it is rarely full ice (multiple teams at once) which puts our teams at a disadvantage, & game travel is far. There is 12/11/17 much income to be made for a well run rink, & as a result, nearby local restaurants & hotels. Need more ice rinks. There is not enough ice time at the available rinks to accommodate hockey, ice skating, and public open skates. Also, public pools are lacking. Most options in our area include private pools that you have to spend 12/9/17 ridiculous amounts of money to become a member. 12/9/17 12/9/17 we need more ice hockey rinks in AACo. Ice hockey is an ever growing sport and is growing very fast in our region, we can excel its growth in our state by adding a few rinks to AACo the cou ty with the least amount of ice rinks. It is so important for young and old players to get time on the ice and with so few rinks and so many players it is hard to get the much needed time to hone their skills. Being a player myself it is hard to re sharpen my skills on a regular basis let alone get one on one time with my siblings on the ice to share my knowledge and skill. Thank you for your time and consideration if you have any questions please feel free to call or me. I would like to argue for a raising of the priority of ice rinks in the region. There are too few when one considers the growing popularity of the sport for youths and adults. My son plays Navy Youth Hockey at the Brigade Sports Center and wants to play the sport in high school. However, the Brigade Sports Center is not a County facility and any day the USNA could reorder its priorities and not support the local community by providing access. There are no other alternatives and most high school teams here have to travel far and wide to practice and play. We need more ice rinks, especially to support hockey programs, in this county. The portion of the report that recommends a study is not enough. No study, action let's make this a top priority. 12/8/17 12/8/17 Please support public ice rinks in AACO There are so many kids and adults that would benefit from having them. My children love ice skating but traveling to other counties is not something we can do. We want to have ice skating and ice hockey in our community. We should not have to travel to Howard Co, Baltimore City, PG County or anywhere else to get to a rink. Having ice rinks also will provide jobs and keep tax payers from spending their money for ice time, lessons, equipment, etc in other counties. Show you care bring this to the people of AACo. We deserve it as much as the horse loving citizens deserve the ability to enjoy riding. I support the need for additional ice hockey facilities in the county. Ice hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in the DC area. Anne Arundel county lags behind other DC area counties in terms of the availability of ice hockey facilities.

16 12/8/17 The need for a county dedicated second full sheet of ice is and has been apparent for many years. There are simply too many kids (and adults)in AACO ready and willing to participate in ice hockey/skating/other activities but for the lack of available ice and thus, available opportunities to pursue these activities, especially in the Annapolis area. A rink in the Annapolis/Riva/Edgewater area would be a perfect complement to the existing (and only other) county ice rink at Piney Orchard. The ice rink at Navy/Brigade simply does not have the public availability to provide any sustainable growth of icerelated activities and sports. A new rink would bring tremendous recreational and financial benefit to the county, and I am hopeful the county will consider moving forward with this initiative. As youth ice Hockey continues to grow in MD, we are in desperate need for more rink options for our kids. We are 12/8/17 continually seeing AACO residents travel outside of our county to participate in ice hockey what a loss! 12/8/17 Please consider building an ice rink!!! 12/8/17 We need more ice skating rinks, especially for Hockey The county should make the addition of an indoor ice hockey rink(s) a high priority. This is a rapidly growing sport and we 12/7/17 are woefully behind other counties in MD. 12/7/17 Please help fund More skating rinks for youth hockey in Anne Arundel County. Would love to see an ice rink and an indoor recreation place for the kids. Similar to Ellicot city and Colombia. Just don't 12/7/17 feel there are enough areas for kids. Please consider including a new ice rink in your plans or expanding any existing. My son has played hockey for NYH as well as his middle/high school for the past 5 years and ice time is in short supply. For middle/high school practices and games we normally need to travel to our "home" ice at Bowie or Tucker road rather than being able to play within our own county. The NYH program continues to exponentially expand and with the Navy program also expanding, teams are short on available ice time or need to travel great distances, taking valuable school time out of their already short schedule. 12/7/17 Piney Orchard is the only County rink in the entire COunty to support this vibrant and active hockey community. A new Hockey facility for AA county would be great. As the sport is on the rise in the area and AA county would be losing revenue to other counties who are now planning to build new facilities. I feel that growing Youth Hockey and supporting 12/7/17 adult leagues in the area is very important.

17 I would very much like to see ice hockey facilities made a priority within this plan. While public athletic facilities for other sports are plentiful in AACo, there is a lack of ice sheets for hockey. This sport is growing rapidly region wide and more families are moving into the BW Corridor everyday, specifically AACo. Ice hockey is a family sport; meaning it's an investment sport for families (in dollars, health, and the values it teaches). Other counties are fulfilling the growing demand for the sport; it's time for AACo to step up and become a major player in the region. In my opinion, if Brendan Kelly and the Chesapeake Bayhawks do win approval to develop the Crownsville hospital/fairground properties into an athletic complex (which I do currently oppose), I strongly recommend that an ice hockey facility be inclusively mandated and phased in, so that the proposed complex does not remain DORMANT during cold weather/winter months. In fact, an 12/7/17 ice hockey facility can be a year long revenue stream for everybody invested. Greetings, Based on the review of your planning document I noticed that ice rinks are a low priority. I ve played hockey for many years and continue to play today. I currently travel out of the county to play, as do many high schools due to inadequate facilities. Just to note, hockey in the mid Atlantic region is growing fast. Please consider increasing the 12/7/17 priority of building an ice rink in AA county. We need another ice rink in anne Arundel county. The Ice that was at Benfield ice rink has not been replaced and we have a growing ice hockey and skating community in this county. Please prioritize adding another ice rink to anne Arundel 12/6/17 county. My son started learning how to ice skate when he was 5 yrs old. We live in Stevensville and traveled to Easton (Talbot County) and then the Navy rink at the Sports Brigade when it opened. My son has played ice hockey his entire life and during that time we have had to travel long distances to available ice rinks, at sometimes very crazy hours, due to the lack of availability of ice time for practices and games. Ice hockey is a popular team sport and a great way for young people to learn how to work with others (teammates and coaches) both on and off the ice. We do not have enough ice rinks in Anne Arundel County. There are plenty of large shopping centers/malls with big stores closing their doors. Why not plan to put 12/6/17 an ice rink in one of them. Ice rink really needed in the county. For youth hockey. You even have high schools with teams, but no rinks. Tons of families are leaving the county daily for this sport. A county ice rink will pay for itself. Loch Haven would be a great 12/6/17 location to go with a new boat launch. Makes the area usable year round. 12/6/17 Would love to see another ice rink!!!

18 My son participates in Navy Youth Hockey. It is a fantastic program that could grow both popularity and participation if there were sufficient facilities. I find hockey to be a great alternative to other Fall/Winter sports such as football and basketball. One thing that hampers the team is the single/shared rink with no Spring or Summer availability. Most competing teams either have year round ice or multiple rinks, allowing significantly more ice time prior to the first game of the season. I am also disappointed in the prospects for my son to play for a JV or Varsity school team (public or private) in the future as it seems the limited availability of local rinks cannot support multiple school teams. I am relatively certain that demand will grow in the coming years as The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our 12/6/17 county. 12/6/17 We need another ice rink desperately!!! 12/6/17 Anne Arundel County is in dire need of Ice Rink Facilities due to the ever increasing demand.there is a plan for a Lacrosse center on Crownsville Hospital land and it only makes sense to incorporate an indoor Ice Facility around the same area. This Hospital Land should be used for County Residents instead of just sitting vacant.now is the time to act! Please act.

19 12/6/17 For the reasons that follow, I strongly support any County effort to fund an ice rink facility intended to accommodate youth ice hockey: The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding area added 2,400 NEW players under the age of 8 years old. This year, it is on pace to surpass those results. Anne Arundel County has one public ice hockey ready sheet of ice (Piney Orchard) and partial use of the Naval Academy facility. Other county rinks are for skating only and are not built to support ice hockey. Meanwhile, Montgomery and PG County each have 6+ ice hockey ready sheets of ice, and we are aware of 8 new sheets coming online between Bowie and Leesburg, VA over the next few years...aaco will be even further behind the curve soon. Most AACo high schools and middle schools skate outside of AACo due to the limitations within our county NYH may be required to limit our growth over the coming years without additional nearby facilities. This is especially true as we continue to work with the NHL and others to make our sport more accessible to the general public. I really hope that the county will build more ice rinks. Hockey is a great sport and the NHL wants more American players. The only way that can happen is to have more ice time. We need kids to stay active and busy and hockey is such a fun activity for the whole family. As a resident of AA county for 35 years I would LOVE TO SEE MORE ICE RINKS. On another 12/6/17 note I was an ER nurse for 30 years and it was rare to see a hockey player, we saw many more injuries with other sports. Writing is support of Anne Arundel County Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation plan to evaluate and hopefully build two ice rinks for ice hockey, curling, public skating and figure skating. It is disappointing that AA residents must spend majority of their money on these sports outside of our county. As a hockey player myself, along with our two sons we spend much time on road traveling to Laurel MD, Reston VA, Abington MD, and Bowie MD. It is appreciated that USNA allows use of their rink but given the growth of hockey at USNA and within AAC it is becoming more difficult to get ice 12/6/17 locally. We are in dire need of indoor ice rinks. Skating and hockey are a great and growing sport for our youth. They need the 12/6/17 facilities to pursue their passion for these sports. Please consider this as a priority. 12/6/17 PLEASE add another ice rink for the county!!! I believe investment in a county ice rink for hockey and figure skating will contribute to the quality of life for AA County 12/6/17 residents. 12/6/17 MORE ICE HOCKEY RINKS PLEASE!!!! 12/6/17 We desperately need more ice rinks in the Crofton area. Please consider adding ice hockey facilities. The only facilities available are private, with limited open access. Ice hockey is a rapidly growing support but currently there are limited opportunities to play. The City of Bowie has a great facility 12/6/17 located in the city park. Seems AAC could do the same.

20 12/6/17 The mid Atlantic is one of the areas with the fastest growth in youth hockey participation The NHL is in year two of a five year campaign to drive even faster growth...in the season, through the NHL s Learn to Play program, the surrounding are As a mother of an ice hockey player and a sixth generation resident of Anne Arundel County, I can attest to the supreme need for additional ice sheets in Anne Arundel County. The need for ice time far outweighs the limited availability at Piney Orchard and the Naval Academy. I have also Navy Youth Hockey teams for the past five years as well and I know personally more than 50 families who have taken their players, and their business, to Prince George's County and other locations due to the lack of ice time and availability in Anne Arundel County. This sport continues to grow, and we need to 12/6/17 invest in the infrastructure to keep this highly lucrative sport in Anne Arundel County. With 2 sons playing ice hockey, it would really make my life easier if there were more ice rink near by. Driving far away 3, 12/6/17 4 Times a weekend really consume our family life. We have 4 children to care for. Please consider an ice arena for hockey and skating. I have 4 boys (my oldest is now 17)and have been involved in hockey for many years. The sport of hockey has grown greatly in our area and we could use more opportunities for ice 12/6/17 availability. Our high schools have to use the Navy rink. 12/6/17 We need more ice in AA County! There is a need for more ice rinks in the county to support the growth and interest in youth hockey as well as figure skating I have four kids and ALL have skated significantly in another state before moving back to the county. There are so few facilities (only Piney and limited use of Navy winter only). My oldest started ice hockey at four years old back when Benfield Pines was open. It was a shame when that closed and nothing has taken its place since. My daughters would like to figure skate as well. Other counties have more facilities first class facilities, but driving to Laurel is not an option on a 12/6/17 consistent basis. Please consider for both youth sports and open skates to the public by planning another skating rink. 12/6/17 Additional hockey ready ice rinks. Hockey is a growing sport and should be supported in tbe county. Please bring more hockey ice rinks to Anne Arundel county. We need more like the Piney orchard one. It s great for ice skating and hockey. Our schools in Anne Arundel county deserve to have more rinks to practice/play on with this sport. 12/5/17 Thank you for your consideration in this matter.