Great idea - curtailing access to the Library for the sake of sports. Its the same line of thought that permeates our schools today. Sports are given priority over academics on a routine basis. Perhaps that's why this country is becoming a nation of loons.

This ice rink easily could have, and should have, been put at the Fairgrounds.

Amen! Amen! Amen, Crista!

It's more like recreation than sports. With the so-called obesity epidemic, you'd think this would be only perceived as a good thing, but there's always got to be at least one contrarian out there.
Maybe it would do you some good to put down the books, get outside in the fresh air and get some exercise.

Agreed, why the library, of all places? Because the lot is flat? Maybe, but the library is not centrally located to the residents of Pleasanton. The Fairgrounds would have been a much better choice-- not that it's centrally located either, but it's set up to handle traffic flow and would not impeded library access. Even the vacant lot across from the library would have been a better choice.

Good point Christa, well said. Sports at any level is giving priority over everything...The Sunday football games were on yesterday and I was watching for a minute all the spoiled football players who make 60 million a year, are treated like royalty, play their games in stadiums that cost what could feed this world 2 times over.....joke. Yes, the rink should have gone to the fairgrounds...but no, we need to put in downtown to keep up with other towns...JOKE!

The Fairgrounds belong to the County of Alameda, not the City of Pleasanton.

Dave,

The Fairgrounds is more than willing to have this. I suspect the Downtown Association is against that as they have been against having a number of other events at Fairgrounds rather than downtown.

SteveP, of course an outdoor arena is a good thing. The location chosen however is a very bad thing. The library access is constantly being affected by events at the Fairgrounds, and no control over the parking abuses at all.

How about all the open land at the Bernal property?

Why odes the library has to be the victim all the time?

Putting down the books was the wrong thing to say steve. Perhaps put down the video game or the TV remote?

Just saw a flyer stating it would be $15. Wow.

It's only $8 to skate on a full-size rink in Dublin.

From the "WTF Files."

So many negative Nancey's! I am excited about this ice rink and perhaps since it's near the library, it'll spark the interest of parents to get their children inside and reading.

I'm looking forward to it. Some of the ideas put forth in previous posts have simple answers if you look into it. I'll just say this is the second location, it must be on city land, it must be put on a paved surface, it needs to be centrally located, and is for the children of the community.

SteveP,

Maybe you should think about putting down the laptop and reading a book.

This is the first place I've heard about a problem with people reading too much.

I think the Sports Park has all the qualifications to be a much more suitable location for this.

Why not there?

Sports Park is in heavey use right now with soccer and since it would have to be on a paved surface it would make parking impossible for both skaters and sports field useing parkers. It also would have inadequate power and is right up against housing as was the Delucci Park situation. Even at best it would be a draw between that and the library, but you would have Parksiders possibly complaining along with every soccer mom in town.

God forbid we upset the soccer moms, even if there is so much more room at the Sprts Park than the small parking lot at the library.

It is OK to keep people from getting books, as long as we don't get in the way of ball leagues.

Typical.

The public good was never the issue; neither was reading or public access to the downtown. The real issue is how much televised face-time Jennifer Hosterman and her cronies can get on local newscasts to promote the ice rink and their "commitment to the children". You know darn well that Roberta Gonzales will do a weathercast from the ice rink, and Hosterman will be out there scrounging for camera time.

Pleasanton is street smart not book smart. What can you learn from a book give me common sense any day and I show u who is smart.

This issue is a good example how you can't make everyone happy, even when you are trying to make people happy. Be glad P-Towners that you have these issues to be upset about, and not real problems that weigh on your mind, like let's say, anything else. This too will pass. The public getting in the way of the public trying to use a public facility, sounds like people hate people but want to use the stuff the public provides.

...without the public getting in the way.

I'm surprised to hear people say that in P-Town sports takes precedence over academics. Yes, sports are big here but I hardly think bigger than academics! I think people worry too much about instruction time - I'd like to see the kids get more PE/outside time!

I figured the library location was to spark interest in downtown. So many people have complained that the downtown area is lacking. My only question is where will potential ice skaters park?

It does sound expensive, but also fun to skate *outdoors*. Years ago I took my kids to the ice rink at Embarcadero Center (SF). Yes, it was more expensive than a rink, but it was all about the Xmas atmosphere and skating outside - the latter not being a common occurrence here in the Bay Area!

Jeb, Janet, Emily, Elysa, anybody at Weekly: Please sure further parking details and explain why the empty space across the street is not legally or safely doable. Thank you, either of you.

Make that 'share further parking details'. Not the first blog goof, won't be the last, LOL.

The parking at the library tonight was bad already, and the rink isn't even open. Just wait until library patrons and skaters are fighting for a parking space.

This was one big screw up from the "City of Planned Progress"!

If you people didn't have anything to complain about, you wouldn't know what to do with yourselves.

Hey!!! This ice rink could be a hidden plus. They can now "baby sit" all the "after school" kids that gather at the library waiting for mommie to come get them...:)

What happens when it storms. Do people ice skate outdoors in heavy rain and wind??? Isn't Dec. & Jan. considered to be in the "storm season" in California???

Also, where will the city owned vehicles that normally take up library parking spaces park...

Not Book Smart,

Were you trying to be a poster child of why access to reading should be promoted?

The lot across the street that people seem to be talking about is owned by the San Francisco water company. They were willing to sell it to us for $350,000 a few years ago but the proximity to the tracks, shape and size of the lot made it a pass. Anyway the city doesn't own it.

Did I see $15.00/per person??? This was something I was considering for my family of 5, it sounds like a great time!! But, for $75, I can buy enough groceries to last 7 days. So many resident's have been bombarded by the economy it's not an axageration to note that 25% of my children's school mates have one or both parents out of work, with an additional 60% that have received drastic cuts to their pay rate!

$15/per person is rediculous....We'll find something equally as fun as an alternate.

Why the location?

It is close to downtown, and individuals as well as a family can make a wonderful day/night of it by eating downtown, shopping downtown, skating downtown. What a wonderful way to spend a Fall/Winter day. My hope is that citizens of other communities will come to town and enjoy what we offer.

Public Utilities are readily accessible.

Police and Fire Service is readily available.


Everyone should take a deep breath…..this is not a ‘bad’ thing. Let’s give this ice rink an opportunity – at this location. Let’s see how it goes and where the community benefits, as well as where improvements need to be made for the future (if any).


I know I will more likely enjoy a day/night of skating, if I can walk to amenities easily. Park once…and then enjoy the entire day/evening. What a ‘treat’ this can be to the city.

Relax, and if you choose - read a book as your children skate till their heart’s content. Then, take in the holiday season downtown. And be sure to give Thanks for living in this community. You could do a lot worse ;-)



(and no, I do not own a business downtown)

For the few posting here who totally misinterpreted my comment about 'putting down their books', let me spell it out for you: The location---the library---hmmmm-they have books there and their regular patrons (I'm one of them) may be slightly inconvenienced. Deal with it...Christmas is coming and some people like to exercise and participate in OUTDOOR activities. Celebrate by putting down your books, laptops, video games (insert vice or habit here...) and get outside and skate during the short time this attraction will be gracing our sleepy town.
If you don't like the inconvenience, order your books on Amazon, have them delivered to your house and sit inside reading (and stop complaining).

It won't be for a short time. If it was going to, it would not be a problem.

I believe this will last approximately 2 to 3 months. The amount of time we won't be able to use the library.

We might as well turn the Pleasanton library into a seasonal one: Open February through November.

What's wrong with parking at Pleasanton Middle School and walking to the library? Who do so many spoiled Pleasanton parents have to drive right up to the door of where they are going? Park a little further away, walk to the building and get some exercise while going to go get books or skate.

This is a great opportunity for our city and for the library. I hope the library is planning some sort of advertising or events to draw some of the skaters inside to pickup a book!

Stop complaining and walk a little.... it doesn't hurt!

What local downtown merchants(foodwise) are considering, offering a discount to offset a percentage of the cost to ice skate? Seems simple enough economically if downtown Pleasanton is a player. Otherwise...

I was at the library last night. The City of Pleasanton might as well save some money and cut the staff in half on the days/nights the rink is open because there will be no parking spots.

I was wondering why a partnership wasn't struck with PUSD for the lot at Amador Valley High School off Santa Rita? There's enough space to put the rink towards the north side of the parking lot. Then there would be plenty of parking for the nighttime and weekend skating. It's close enough to downtown that folks might walk on down.

This was not a good solution.

I, for one, am thankful that my family and I will get the opportunity to ice skate outdoors in this beautiful city.

I can't believe how many of you are whining about having to walk an extra block or two to get to the library. Seriously?

Whining?

Imagine the ice rink being planned in the Sports Park parking lot instead.

Now that would create real whining!

Seriously.

Wow! The "Mommy-ocracy" is out in full force on this topic. Whats wrong folks? Haven't had a chance to moan & [comment removed by staff for being insensitive to overbearing parents & female dogs] since Measure G was defeated? So your little darlings just might have to walk a block or to get to the library as the parking lot simply just cannot fit another ginormous SUV.

Just when did our town (& some of it's citizens) become a group of whining, self-righteous & entitled NIMBY's?

Can't have music downtown & don't even think of keeping a restaurant open after 10:00. Don't build big houses in the hills where nobody can see them but by all means build an uglier-than-Dublin esque` condo/townhome complex in the heart of commercial property, visible from the freeway, oh & be sure to put another BART station close to Stoneridge so the criminals can commute easily to "work."

IMHO the priorities of this town are out of whack.

People calling this ice skating rink a sport and refuse to walk a few blocks to the library are showing their mindset. They hate sports, don't even know what a sport is, and are too lazy to walk a block or two. If you want free books, don't want to walk a couple blocks why not go to Dublin's or Livermore's library? These antis have all these ideas of where else to put the rink to not inconvienience themselves, not caring if it inconvieniuences anybody else or if the location is even possible. It takes too much effort to explain why each of their suggestions aren't feasable. Anyway I look forward to seeing everyone having fun out there.

Just like I thought. Mention the Sports Park and people get their pants in a bundle.
God forbid inconvenience ball players. It would be like starting WWIII.

This whole thing is a joke. The city was never supposed to be this involved. The lot wasn't level and now you see them out there having to bring tons of dirt in to level it and it's city workers doing it. The amount of money this is costing could have paid for at least one to two full time teachers in this community. Just the fuel alone to run all the equipment (generators) is going to cost somewhere of about $35,000 not to mention how loud it will be for the neighborhood. The utilities needed for this just aren't there. Another thing, if it does rain, the rain will melt the ice and the rink will be closed for at least 2 -3 days because that's how long it takes to refreeze the ice. Dec. & Jan. weather could mean this be closed for days and maybe weeks.

The point is move it to the Sports Park and inconvience more people, but not you, that's all you care about. I have a feeling you are heavy set, right? I don't mean it as an insult but you hate walking a few blocks, hate or atleast don't care about the kids and parents that use the Sports Park, or the Parkside neb., call the ice rink a sport, and seem to despise sports like you were the last kid picked for every team. People supporting the rink are just looking forward to using or seeing it, you are the one wanting to battle over it like it's WWII. It all comes back to you though and what you want, right? Lets say you are speaking for all patrons of the library that refuse to walk a little. Do you think the total number of you is greater than the number that will use the rink? Do you think you bring more money into Pleasanton by checking out free books and movies? At this point I'm glad you are so upset and want to say, Nah, nah, na-nan, nah, you lose this one!

I forgot to mention in my post a few minutes ago, Just the fuel alone to run all the equipment (generators) is going to cost somewhere of about $35,000 not to mention how loud it will be for the neighborhood. The chiller unit that will freeze the ice is already to loud for the noise ordinances.

I forgot to mention in my post a few minutes ago, Just the fuel alone to run all the equipment (generators) is going to cost somewhere of about $35,000 not to mention how loud it will be for the neighborhood. The chiller unit that will freeze the ice is already to loud for the noise ordinances and it has to run 24 HOURS A DAY!

I just checked the website and the prices are $14 adults and $12 for children (even cheaper if you can get the group rate). I think it's pretty fair and right on par with other outdoor rinks. I can't wait to go with the family and experience it and then go grab some lunch or dinner downtown!!

All of this info below given to me from an inside source with the city.

This whole thing is a joke. The city was never supposed to be this involved. The lot wasn't level and now you see them out there having to bring tons of dirt in to level it and it's CITY WORKERS doing it. How much of your TAX DOLLARS are at work for this? The amount of money this is costing could have paid for at least one to two full time teachers in this community. Just the fuel alone to run all the equipment (generators) is going to cost somewhere of about $35,000.00 not to mention how loud it will be for the neighborhood. The chiller unit that will freeze the ice is already to loud for the noise ordinances and it has to run 24 HOURS A DAY! The utilities needed for this just aren't there. Another thing, if it does rain, the rain will melt the ice and the rink will be closed for at least 2 -3 days because that's how long it takes to refreeze the ice. Dec. & Jan. weather could mean this be closed for days and maybe weeks.

Go to the next council meeting and COMPLAIN!!

TH, for your information, I go to the gym and I exercise every day, I am not overweight and I keep a very healthy lifestyle. I also know the difference between staying fit and finding a soccer game more important than the Constitution.

My objection is and will always be the fact that the city has created chaos for library users when alternative locations could be used. There is the Bernal property, the Fairgrounds, many parks throughout the city. I mentioned the Sports Park on purpose because I knew that although it could be a very good location due to open space and parking availability, it would bring the worst in sports fanatics like yourself.

So yes TH, you win, people that enjoy exercising their minds will have an even harder time doing so. After all, it's only a library.

Soccer game Vs. Constitutiom?
Without the library their is no 'mental exercise'?
Why are you without the library anyway? Can't walk a bit? Since you are at the gym so much you must be able to walk.
You are so denseyou can't seem to understand the farigrounds are not P-Town property, the Sports Park is up against the Parkside 'hood, etc. I am not a sports nut but I'm not against sports like you. For a person who is such a reader you seem to be missing every point anyone has made that contradicts your own. Admit it's all about you and your desires, not the benifit of the entire community.
For the last time...The library will be accesable, just not the parking lot. God you are dumb.

"For the last time...The library will be accesable, just not the parking lot. God you are dumb."

Your last sentence tells a lot. It also tells me you probably don't go to the library much, even when it's "accessible".

The library has many types of users.

Families with small children that can't walk far. Children that are put at risk by walking through busy parking lots with people looking for that valuable parking spot.

People with disabilities use the library. They are going to have a hard time finding parking where they don't have to cross a street.

Many patrons visit the library at night. This also adds a risk to the able-bodied walker.

The point is the library parking lot is almost nearly full from library patrons. Why did the city decide on this location????

Because the library is probably at the bottom on the list of the City's priorities. The decision to make it so difficult to go to the library says it all.

This sucks that the city is taking over the library, which is going to screw up my commute when I have to pick up my kids which have been hanging out at the library after school doing nothing since school got out while I was at Club Sport. Doesn't the city understand how much this is going to upset my life? I mean really, this could add 5-10 minutes to my daily schedule and make me late for my pedicure.

Come on folks an ice skating rink in Pleasanton for 8 weeks. I can't wait(wish it could be from Nov. to March). I love the library but I do not understand why it is becoming a controversy(I live in Pleasanton Valley and have walked to the library). I can remember when I was young(east coast transplant) learning to skate on double runners and then graduating to single blades. An opportunity to experience something that will entertain our youngsters, our teenagers(we spent every weekend night in the winter at some skating pond or another) and last but not least our senior citizens(yes I will surly be there to see if I can still hold my own). I only wish that we could somehow try to figure out how to make light snow fall over the rink. So come on lets just enjoy. Trust me it will be something everyone will enjoy.

What's the size of the rink and what's the water usage for this little endeavor. Who gets the profits...

If the city isn't directly involved in this and city employees are indeed being used to prepare the parking lot surface, shouldn't the city be reimburse for their cost...

Again let me say:

This whole thing is a joke. The city was never supposed to be this involved. The lot wasn't level and now you see them out there having to bring tons of dirt in to level it and it's CITY WORKERS doing it. How much of your TAX DOLLARS are at work for this? The amount of money this is costing could have paid for at least one to two full time teachers in this community. Just the fuel alone to run all the equipment (generators) is going to cost somewhere of about $35,000.00 not to mention how loud it will be for the neighborhood. The chiller unit that will freeze the ice is already to loud for the noise ordinances and it has to run 24 HOURS A DAY! The utilities needed for this just aren't there. Another thing, if it does rain, the rain will melt the ice and the rink will be closed for at least 2 -3 days because that's how long it takes to refreeze the ice. Dec. & Jan. weather could mean this be closed for days and maybe weeks.

I remember the way that the library parking used to be when the fair was in town, before they did something to stop people from parking there (does anyone know how they enforced it?). It's been full pretty much every weekend I go there, even before they started the construction.
Are they going to have a similar enforcement in place for the people who will be coming to the skating rink? And since you guys think that it's worth the walk to the library, are you going to walk to the skating rink? Because, judging on how impossible it always is to find parking during the fair, you're going to be walking a looooong distance.

PEOPLE??!!!!! It is a Holiday Celebration in our sleepy Downtown Pleasanton. A chance for all to take a break from the negative feelings and sadness we have all endured over the past year or two during the down economy. As far as location - the rink needs to be in a downtown location HELLO! The whining people continue to say "why not in the sports field, why not the fairgrounds, why not the High School", don't you get it - because IT IS NOT DOWNTOWN! Are you people so isolated that you can't comprehend a Holiday Ice Rink is located in downtown areas - usually right downtown in fact (Walnut Creek, San Jose, etc.) You complained when they wanted to put it on 1st Street (which I was happy with, being a 1st street resident even), so they moved it, and now once again you want to complain about this location. For the person continuing to post the expense of the rink and how it could pay for a teacher's salary... this is fully funded by the Sharks Managment (SJAM).. so talk to them about funding a teacher or two rather than complain about the rink. I am excited and feel lucky to have a beautiful Holiday celebration here in Downtown Pleasanton. I have already made plans to have a group of friends from other cities come for the festivities (skating, dinner, cocktails, shopping, etc).. which means if you had common sense... dollars spent in our downtown. If you don't want to boost Pleasanton's economic situation, then you don't belong here so please, please just shut up and move to Dubling - where there is no downtown!

Dublin

And yes I plan to walk.. I enjoy walking..

Has anyone adressed the cost to the city for this skating rink? I have heard that the city has to pay for all the utility cost , which will run into the hundred of thousand of dollars.

I agree it was a BAD idea to put it at the library. But now it is a done deal, so could we add some SOLUTIONS? For example, could we have some vans, mini-buses that would SHUTTLE people from a few locations around town, at a minimal cost per person, say $0.50, to avoid all these parking concerns?
I wonder if the high cost to skate there will actually cover the costs involved to the city, that is to say, to us the tax payers. Just curious, was this ever put to a vote with any sort of public comment or approval?

Life is good in Pleasanton when the biggest complaint is regarding a nice ice rink being built for families to enjoy. Lots or armchair quarterbacks on this site.

I don't object to the rink itself, I object to the inconvenience it's already causing me. If they want it close to downtown, why not at Wayside Park? It's a little bit further out but then there wouldn't be all this fuss.

Having an outdoor rink is a fine idea....putting it in the library parking lot is a really bad idea. The parking issue downtown is horrendous already. Why add to that issue. There are plenty of other spots that could have been used. The Bernal property. The Sports Park. The Neal school property. How about the shopping center on Bernal Ave that has very few tenants. How about the Domas parking lot. This is not free....there will be money generated to help pay for expenses. An expense may have been renting a spot from a business owner that's not currently in use. Or maybe....the Pleasant landlords of Pleasanton would have loaned it's use for the season! Anyway, good idea - bad location.

To paraphrase the esteemed mayor of San Franfreakshow..."It's gonna happen, whether you like it or not..."

What's the deal P-Town? Like other (cough, sane people, cough, cough) that have implied that this will cut into valuable mani-pedi/facial/massage/botox time spent downtown & that the poor library parking lot might not be able to squeeze another massive kiddie transport SUV into it. You just might have to walk (put one foot in front of the other...hey, get into the X-mas spirit will ya!) a few precious blocks out of your way for a few weeks.

They better keep a (waaa)ambulance on site just in case we have a meltdown of yuppie proportions at the site.

What a bunch whiners!

Downtown resident,
The Sharks Managment (SJAM) is not paying the $35,000.00 plus dollars in fuel and not paying for city employees to level and grade the lot. What about this loud machine that will run 24 hours a day to keep the ice frozen. I feel sorry for that neighborhood. I'm for the ice rink but not where it is.

I'd pay $8 to skate downtown, but not $15. As others have said, this would make a family outing ridiculously expensive. I won't pay $90 to have 6 people go skating. We will drive elsewhere...

My friends and I already have plans for at least two nights downtown for dinner and drinks and off to the ice rink! Thank you, City of Pleasanton, for bringing such a cool idea to life!

Cool idea indeed, worst location ever!

wfw. stop yer whining. like i've said before, nothing really happens in this town until someone has a complaint.

so the library parking is going to be tough. big deal. ride your bike. that's what i plan to do. and if it's raining on the day my library books are due and i don't feel like getting wet, oh well, they'll be late.

this is a "holiday celebration", not a "whine-complain-moan-fest" sheesh. you know, someone, somewhere thought this would be a good idea for our community, and if you whiners could have an ounce of vision, just a speck of foresight, a wee bit of goodness in your hearts, you might see the smiles and memories that could come of this.

i'm fully supporting this. way to go whoever is working on this. good show!

Had this rink been planned to go in the Sports Park instead, chico, not only you would hear a lot more whinning and complaining, but there would probably be riots too.

Think about that.

I have to agree the Sports Park would be the perfect spot.

People who live in that neighborhood are surrounded by screaming and yelling all the time, they won't mind the additional sound coming from some generators.

They are probably used to noise by now.

TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME READING...THIS IS A REFRESHER OF THE ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOVE. PLEASE NOTE THE STATEMENT REGARDING THE 20k UTILITY 'CONCERN'.

"The rink will be operated and managed by San Jose Arena Management, which owns the San Jose Sharks, in a deal that was announced a few months ago between SJAM and the city of Pleasanton. SJAM will pay all costs of building and operating the rink with the city contributing about $20,000 for added power and lighting, costs that will be reimbursed from SJAM profits from ticket sales and sponsorships. All net proceeds from the operations of the winter rink will be donated to Pleasanton education, sports and recreational activities."


CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZ PEOPLE! THANK YOU SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doesn't change the fact that the spot picked for the rink is awful.

Amen! Crista


Thanks,
Portable Storage,
www.moveablecubicle.com

It is nice to hear that some can afford the 15 dollars per person, a night out to dinner...and drinks...tells me you don't have children...and to do that twice in a couple of months ...way over my family's budget. I really don't want my children skating where adults who have been drinking plan on spending their evening anyway. But let's call this what it is...it is not for children if it is priced such. Sounds to me like some adults with way to much decision making power have made a poor choice. And we do have the right to complain. It is OUR tax dollars at waste here. In an economy that is suffering I would have expected better decision making on the part of the mayor and city council. Who voted for this anyway? Who came up with it? Does anyone know?

Lisa-- It *IS* nice to be me. A rich, single, childless, tax paying drinker who can ice skate :))

I think that the rink stinks. Sorry, I just said that cause it all rhymed. Its not a bad idea, although obviously its for the minority, the few in Pleasanton and surrounding areas that ice skate. I just think its in a bad location.

This will be such a cool thing to do during the holidays! I can only hope that it is completed before everyone is off doing holiday shopping... or else we'll be too busy to hang out and skate! Can't wait, though!

Looks like mayhem starts this Thursday. I mostly feel sorry for people with mobility issues trying to get to the library.

Not a very thoroughly thought location at all!

Go have some fun!! Stroll the streets of our beautiful town. Watch some kids skate and laugh. Stop in the library while you're down there. Have some Christmas spirit people. Part of the proceeds from the rink go to the schools.

The parking lot of the library was a stupid idea.
This mayor has got to go.
The city manager needs to go as well.
Any council person who voted for this, we will call you out.
There are many dedicated library users in this town who are unhappy about this. And WE VOTE.
I choose to watch my children read and laugh.
The Dublin rink is half the price .
And I don't expect to see drunk adults there.

Wow...thanks everyone for reminding me why I'm so glad I live in Livermore! I grew up in Pleasanton in the 80's and can't believe how pretentious the city has become!!!

Please someone tell me it is NOT REALLY $15.00 to skate there!!!!! NO

Well, tomorrow we'll know what this will bring.

I think it will bring the realization that this rink need to move somewhere else next year. I still think the Sports Park is the ideal location.

But time will tell.

To "Another tax paying library lover"
Get real... you're not a library lover, you're a Pleasanton hater.

Honest question that is not loaded with any political slant:

Where ARE people going to park for the library/skating? That lot is often full just from the library use alone. Are they providing additional parking somewhere close by?

we are so looking forward to this! thanks Pleasanton! thanks Sharks!

SERIOUS mis-information provided in this article. First off, either the City of Pleasanton is lying about the size of their rink or counting all the associated footage for parking, porta-potties, skate rental etc. Dublin's holiday rink is SIGNIFICANTLY larger than Pleasanton's, AND it's about 2/3 protected from the elements. A simple measurement of each facility would prove that Dublin's figure of 7200 sqft is reasonably accurate, while Pleasanton's is GROSSLY exagerrated, maybe for marketing's sake? Also, Pleasanton foolishly put dark-colored logos in the middle of their rink, which apparently attract so much heat they melt the ice and need to be covered by reflective foil and protected by cones now! Made for a nice obstacle course for my two daughters, though. And why do I sound so negative? Perhaps because we taxpayers were duped by City Manager Fialho into believing the cost to us would be $20,000... public records will ultimately show the actual cost already exceeds $100,000 and could reach as much as $125-150,000 by the time this debacle is over! This isn't the first time residents have been lied to about city expenditure, just look into the Firehouse Art Museum project if you REALLY want something to be incensed about! I question whose needs are really being served with all of this, and what the underlying agendas are. Concerned citizens should scratch the surface and do a little research on these issues before they let themselves be blindsided by our city management's propaganda!