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For almost 40 years the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre has been the only one of its kind in Canberra. But the centre's general manager, John Raut, said the ageing facility's future was in limbo after a 2016 Labor election promise for a new ice sports centre. Mr Raut said the once state-of-the-art rink had seen little-to-no change to its facade since it opened in 1980. "We're in a situation where we can only patch and paint all the time because to shut down and do any major renovation would be like six months or so closed which would leave staff unemployed," Mr Raut said. "It is pretty much like a farm because you don't have any chance to shut down and do anything because it's a seven-day a week business." Mr Raut said the future of the centre was uncertain, with the government completing a $70,000 options paper exploring the feasibility for a new ice rink. "We're not opposing the possibility of a new facility at all, it would be a shame if this place goes, but I think in the long run it would be great to see a world-class facility in town," he said. "We're committed to keep going until we find out more about the plans, there is not going to be a situation where there is not going to be an ice rink in Canberra. "It's just that it's very hard to continue and not have a date because you don't know on whether or not to invest money into upgrading things internally. You just don't know how long for." An ACT government spokesperson said the report, with the ACT Ice Sports Federation, was considering the size and layout, the cost and likely operating performance of a new facility. Last year, Canberra Town Planning made a submission on behalf of site owner Wayne Houghton to the ACT parliamentary inquiry into zoning changes in the Woden town centre, arguing for more flexibility in what can be developed. At the moment, planning rules say the site must have a 50-metre pool and ice skating rink, but the consultants said Canberra could not sustain two ice-skating rinks if a new one was built, and the new pool being built at Stromlo, along with the new Southern Cross Club gym would limit the viability of the pool. The buildings were coming to the end of their useful life, with maintenance costs escalating, electricity prices more than doubling in the past six months, the cost of water increasing and staff penalty rates adding to pressure. "The facility is under constant and increasing commercial pressure. The commercial viability of the operation is an increasingly challenging proposition," the submission said. The ice skating rink heavily cross-subsided the pool and redevelopment was constrained by the lease and planning rules, it said. Mr Houghton did not reveal what he had in mind for the site, saying, "We've considered a few things, but I don't know what we're going if the new rink is developed. "If the new rink puts us out of business, I suppose the block of land would be quite valuable if it was to be zoned for high risers like the rest of the area is ... "I don't think there's room in Canberra for two ice rInks. We really don't have any plans, we're not proactive, we're reactive." Ice Sports Federation president Tony Prescott said Canberra could become a national capital of ice sports. "Our three prime objectives really is to, one achieve the national ice sport centre in the ACT, two to promote participation across ice sport particularly with groups like youth, children and people with a disability and then third to bring national and international events to Canberra," Mr Prescott said. The Phillip rink was not up to international standards. "We want a facility that has two full sized ice rinks, a facility that has sufficient capacity to deal with the needs of ice sports including appropriate spectator capacity for something you'd expect to be the national sports centre," he said. The current rink is 185 by 85 feet and the international competing size standard is 200 by 100 feet. Mr Raut said the quality of ice was up to standard, but not the height and capacity. "It's too small for competitions, that's why we can't attract Australian championships with hockey or figure skaters," Mr Raut said. "Times have moved on and people want things that are world class." The options paper is yet to be released.

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