What comes to mind when you think of Plymouth, New Hampshire? Do you think small town, a few good eateries, some local hang out spots and drinking holes and maybe the education that our very own Plymouth State University provides us with? How about the new ice arena? This has been a primary topic of discussion among PSU students lately. This, as well as talk on how our tuition money has been able to so generously pay for the 16.4 million dollar arena to be built.
Upon exiting off 93 this past weekend and driving past the spot of the new arena, I felt a feeling of oddness shoot through me. The sight of such an enormous building sitting next to the Mobil gas station just felt strange. I mean, this is Plymouth, New Hampshire, population of less than 4000, and we’re throwing in a gigantic ice arena/welcome center for all of Plymouth and Holderness? This seems just a little out of whack to me.
The arena, in fact, has many different prospective functions and goals set out for it. In a Plymouth State News edition dated Apr. 28, 2009, it was stated that the ice arena will function as a teaching facility for instruction and research in ice activities, a home for Panther varsity men’s and women’s ice hockey teams, and a site for student recreation. The ice arena will also be a venue for community skating including high school athletics, adult and youth hockey leagues, figure skating, and recreational skating.
The ice arena is also serving as a welcome center for areas of the North Country and the Lake Region. It will also be a showcase for energy efficiency and green building technology.
The Ice Arena definitely will have its perks. It will add something big and exciting to our little town as well as doing its part to help in this time of economic struggles. It is predicted that the ice arena will create 17.3 new jobs in the region with $508,000 in new salaries. It is anticipated that there will be significant increases in day and overnight visitor traffic as well. With that being said, our once-small 4,000 person population town will most likely be on the rise as new jobs open up and the surge for the economy is underway.
The ice arena has potential to change Plymouth quite drastically. I suggest that we keep our minds open as the new arena could bring about a nice change to this town. Like everything, first impressions aren’t always accurate, so let’s give it a whirl and see how it turns out. The arena is scheduled to be completed by late summer of 2010. Go Panthers!