City council will vote to approve money for chiller at Ice Center

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita City Council on Tuesday will vote to approve money for renting a second chiller at the Wichita Ice Center.

Since July 2022, the city says equipment failures have left the center with just one rink at the most. Currently, the first rink is operating with the use of a temporary chiller that was approved by the council back on October 10, 2023. Since then, the permanent chiller that was ordered for both rinks back in September has been delayed and won’t be installed until early spring.

For the US Figure Skating synchronized skating sectional championships, the city manager approved public exigency for a temporary chiller unit rental on January 5, 2024, to get the second rink up and running for practices.

The cost for the chiller is nearly $100,000 for delivery, installation, removal, and the first month’s rent.

The total anticipated cost of renting a second temporary chiller unit and extending the rental of the existing temporary chiller unit through April 2024 is not to exceed $378,462.

The equipment failures are now part of ongoing legal claims.