Wants educational opportunities for all

This letter is in response to a letter published Sunday in this newspaper concerning my support for an outdoor ice rink at Su-Valley High School.

When the school board reviewed the preliminary plans for rebuilding Su-Valley High School, I noticed what was in the plan and what wasn’t. Included was an indoor climbing wall and repaving the running track, excluded was an outdoor skating rink. The school board has since unanimously supported adding an ice rink to the project’s design. Funding to build a rink is yet to be determined; our first priority is rebuilding the classrooms.

The Talkeetna hockey team is largely a volunteer effort supported by community members. It does not get district-funded indoor ice for practice, which is provided to the other high schools. There are few activities for the youth and residents of the area and an ice rink would also double as a tennis court in the summer.

The unstable weather and availability of indoor ice have made outdoor ice largely obsolete in the core area. Outdoor ice is more feasible and is the only option in Talkeetna. The letter writer’s kids have benefited from the publicly funded indoor ice rinks in the Palmer-Wasilla area. Let’s extend that opportunity to the Su-Valley [community] with an outdoor rink.

I will continue to tirelessly advocate for the youth of our entire community.

Jim Colver

Board member

Mat-Su Borough School District