Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com

Howell City Council last month approved the purchase of an ice resurfacing machine for the new skating rink coming to downtown as part of the Fire & Ice District and Depot Lot project.

"It's something we knew we had to get. We already had the machine selected through the process of building the ice rink and recommendation of the ice rink supplier," said City Manager Erv Suida.

The WM Compact ice resurfacing machine cost nearly $135,000 and is said to be a highly efficient and maneuverable unit designed for maintaining smaller community ice rinks.

"That unit should be coming in well in advance of first ice. We're very excited about it. It's probably the most critical piece to an ice rink. You have to keep the ice resurfaced regularly."

Suida also noted the pavilion where the ice rink and arena are located will have a series of rooms as well.

"Obviously, we're going to have the concession area, which is going to have skate rentals and skate sharpening. Also, for those non-residents that want to attend, there will be a small fee for ice usage," he said.

"Then we're going to have an area with lockers in there, so you can lock up your personal items. You just bring a lock. Put your stuff in there and lock it up. We're going to have a rentable room. A mechanical room. Bathroom."

Updates on the project are released every Thursday on the City of Howell’s website linked below.