GLASSBORO — Borough council helped move the town one step closer to having its own ice rink after awarding a Pitman company's proposal to maintain and build the rink at a council meeting on Tuesday.

The council award the proposal to Bogey’s Club and Cafe, a company that operates a restaurant at the county golf course in Sewell, just outside the Pitman border, and also hosts various events at the same location.

While there are no preliminary plans regarding the scope of the rink, the borough started taking bids in June for a winter park with a temporary ice rink for seasonal events on Rowan Boulevard.

Council was looking for the park to be privately run between late autumn through the winter as a way to help ease winter lulls in foot traffic and commerce in the downtown section of Glassboro.

Currently, the borough holds a number of events during the summer, with monthly events bringing in vendors and various forms of entertainment varying from wine festivals to live music.

According to councilman Anthony Fiola, the concept of an ice rink to add to the town square atmosphere came up several years ago when the town started discussing various recreational activities that could take place in the light of the Rowan Boulevard development project.

With several construction projects set to finish by August, including a hotel and parking garage, Fiola said that the ice rink is another aspect the town needs to maintain a thriving downtown area.

“It’s very encouraging because it says that the town, specifically the downtown development, is becoming a reality,” said Fiola. “We’re looking to have different types of entertainment throughout the year.”

Fiola added that there have not been discussions with Bogey’s Club and Cafe and the council as to the economics of the plan, but council was looking for bids for the ice rink to be run privately with revenues coming from concession and skate rentals.

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Contact staff writer Phil Davis at 856-686-3631 or pdavis@southjerseymedia.com