Meijer Donates Skates to Adrian Ice Rink - Dan Rodgerson

The Daily Telegram
Adrian, MI
Feburary 17th 1996

February is Free Skate month at the Adrain Ice Rink. For three years now, local businesses and service clubs sponsor open skating sessions so that people in the community can skate for free. In addition to the free skate sessions, another successful program has generated sponsors to purchase rental skates for the rink. Meijers, Inc, recently purchased 10 pair of rental skates for the Rink. Other skates were donated by Key Bank, Coin-op vending, The Adrian Lions Club and the Peak. Shown are Dayton Latty, left General manager of the Adrain Meijer, Dick Holmes, City of Adrian Recreation Director and Dan Rodgerson, Ice Rink Manager with some of the 14 pair of skates recently donated.

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10/12/2011

AIR teams compete in Great Lakes Games Dan Rodgerson

AIR teams compete in Great Lakes Games


LANSING—A pair of Adrian ice Rink “Coach’s Pick” roller hockey teams competed over the weekend in the Great lakes State Games, with the 13- and 14- year old team taking second in the house division.
The team of 11- and 12- year olds were eliminated Saturday after taking on three traveling teams. The older squad was seeded first after Saturday’s then finished second Sunday after losing in the title game.
Coaches selected the players from some of the 27 teams that play at the AIR bases on ability, attitude and commitment.
The tourney marked the first time AIR hockey has branched out and played against other teams from other communities.
“Considering that both of our teams have never played together as a team, both age groups did a fabulous job,” AIR league director Dan Rodgerson said.
Many parents interest in forming an all-star team and perhaps even a traveling team to represent Adrian. These teams would play against leagues that already exist in Toledo, Ann arbor, Detroit and Lansing.
“As our program continues to grow we would like to make necessary changes to provide different experienced for our players,” Dan Rodgerson said. “Our program has more than doubled in size in the past year and we anticipate even more growth.”

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Racing to the Rink Adrian MI Dan Rodgerson

Racing to the Rink
More than 100 youths join roller hockey league in its first year
By DAN DALY
Daily Telegram Staff Writer
ADRIAN—Dan Rodgerson thought there might be some community interest in a spring roller hockey program.
“Roller blading is at the peak of its popularity right now,” said Dan Rodgerson, who works with youth sports programs at Adrian’s Community Services Department. “We thought we would try to capitalize on the trend.”
Mission accomplished. In its first attempt to field a roller hockey league, the city registered 118 kids. Kids from as far away as Brooklyn and Manchester signed up for league play. The first games were played Thursday night.
“We structured this to mirror the program in Saline. They only have about 30 or 40 kids,” Dan Rodgerson said. “We have anticipated 50 or 60 because we figured we were competing with baseball and soccer.”

The city was thrilled to see the community response that ensued. But there was also a sizable amount of concern.

First, a concern about liability, although Adrian has an excellent safety record at its ice rink at Bohn Pool. The problem of liability was solved with assistance from city attorney Dane Nelson.
“We were totally scared because of liability,” Dan Rodgerson said. “As opposed to ice, when you fall on cement, you don’t slide.”

Once the city was properly protected in that area, the next concern was making sure the kids who play the sport were properly protected—which is to say properly equipped.

“One if the problems we were having were kids showing up for practices in biking helmets,” Dan Rodgerson said. “From the revenue we got from registration, we went out and spent about $1,000 on equipment, including four new hockey helmets.”

Players are required to wear hockey helmets with faceguards, which cost in the area of $100, according to Dan Rodgerson. The purchase of helmets, pads and goalie gloves will allow the city to provide equipment for kids who don’t already have it, but still want to play roller hockey.
Registration costs for the roller hockey were 30 per player.

The final concern was that there were a lot more players than coaches. Dan Rodgerson himself has taken on coaching responsibilities to help solve that problem.
“A lot of people think they don’t know a thing about roller hockey, so they’re afraid to go out there,” Dan Rodgerson said. “The rules are different from hockey. There’s no icing, no offsides.
“I think, though, after some parents stand on the sidelines, they’ll say: ‘This is something I’d like to get involved in,’” Dan Rodgerson added.

The primary focus of the league is to help kids focus on the primary skills of hockey—skating, passing and shooting, instead of the physical elements like checking and fighting.
“It’s a brand new league and we’re going to have some growing pains,” Dan Rodgerson said. “But we hope to have everything ironed out for the second session.”
League play for the first session started Thursday and runs through the middle of May. Dan Rodgerson expects the second session to begin early June.

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10/12/2011

City Gives Bohn Pool slide plan green light - Dan Rodgerson

City Gives Bohn Pool slide plan green light

Attraction expected to open this year
By MATT CROSSMAN
Daily Telegram Staff Writer
ADRIAN—The investigation is done, the city commission approval earned.
The only question remaining is who gets the honorary first trip down Bohn Pool’s new water slide this summer?

“We assume Dan Rodgerson will be the first one down, and the mayor second,” said city commissioner Eric Sullivan.
But city attorney Dane Neilson already had the inaugural slide reserved.
“I told Kelli she could be the first,” He said.
Dan Rodgerson led the charge in persuading city commissioners to buy the $99,176 slide. He began investigating the purchase shortly after joining Adrian’s parks and recreation department as a recreation supervisor in the late summer of 1995.
Monaghan has helped Dan Rodgerson and community services director Mark Gasche develop a master plan to develop Bohn Pool into a “family oriented aquatic center.” The 144-foot long, 20.5-foot high is considered the focus of that effort.

In a proposal to city commissioners in November, Gasche said funding for the slide might have to come through financing.

But by rearranging priorities in his capital budget, Gasche said he can buy the slide using funds from the current budget year and next budget year. City staff felt getting the slide this year was important because it will help generate more revenue through increases fees.
“When we looking into financing there was some obstacles there,” Gasche said. “It wasn’t impossible, but it seemed more feasible to use our own money.”

City commissioner Chuck Chase and Gasche praised Dan Rodgerson for thoroughly investigating the feasibility of the slide, he said.

“I think it will really be a boom for Bohn Pool,” Chase said.

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10/12/2011

The Big Plunge Adrian Waterslide Dan Rodgerson

The Big Plunge
Adrian staff proposes 140-foot water slide for city’s Bohn Pool.


By MATT CROSSMAN
Daily Telegram Staff Writer

ADRIAN—City commissioners took one step up the ladder Monday in moving toward initiating $500,000 in improvements at Bohn Pool.
They gave community services director Mark Gasche the green light to further investigate plans to install a 20-foot high, 140-foot long water slide at the city-run facility.

Plans include improvements to make the facility more family oriented. The daily youth rate would increase from $1.50 to $2.50 to help cover the cost of construction.
Gasche and parks and recreation program director Dan Rodgerson hope to have the slide up and running by spring of 1997, but commissioners aren’t willing yet to commit to that.

They’re still wary of how to pay the $120,000 price tag.
Gasche has set aside $40,000 for the slide and suggested two funding proposals, both of which would require loans. There was also discussion of using general fund dollars.
“It is significant to note that by financing the additional money needed to purchase a large water-slide, our operating deficit would be comparable to making no changes. By installing the water0slide we would have the benefit of this attraction, and, after the slide was paid off, we would see a marked improvement in our financial position,” the proposal for the slide says.
The water slide and other improvements are meant to try to increase usage of the pool which generally runs at 25 percent capacity; Rodgerson told the city commission during their Monday pre-meeting study session.

Rodgerson has been investigating the slide for more than a year. He oversees the operation of the facility, which would require additional staffing with the new slide. He also earned high marks for the successful launching of the city’s inline skating hockey league last year.
The pool typically runs a deficit of about $68,000 annually which the city has swallowed because the pool is considered a good community project.

Accompanying rate hikes for use of the pool would decrease the deficit to about $55,000 per year, Gasche said.



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10/12/2011

Water Slide decision Tuesday Dan Rodgerson

Water Slide decision Tuesday
By MATT CROSSMAN
Daily Telegram Staff Writer
ADRIAN—City commissioners will decide Tuesday whether more than a year of work by the community services department is all wet.
Parks and rec staffer Dan Rodgerson has been investigating the ins and outs of putting a water slide at Bohn Pool since he was hired in late summer of 1955. Along with community services director Mark Gasche, Daniel Rodgerson pitched the idea to city commissioners in November.

After favorable responsible by commissioners, the inquiry into the slide hit top speed. Five companies submitted bids, which were reviewed Jan. 9. The cheapest to meet specifications was from Whitewater U.S.A of Columbus Ohio. With a price tag of $99,176, that company won Gashce’s recommendation.
The slide is the centerpiece in the community services department’s plan to transform the pool into a “family-oriented aquatic center”. Future plans include renovation of the interior of the building, enlarging the kiddie pool and installing interactive water play equipment.

“The addition of new attractions such as a water slide, shaded grassy areas, and interactive water play equipment will draw new pool users of all ages,” Gasche told commissioners in his request for funding.

The 20-foot high, 144-foot long slide would hasten rate changes at the pool to meet operating expenses.

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