The Empire State Winter Games Torch Relay passed through Batavia on Tuesday, with a visit to the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arenda during a Ramparts practice.
One of the Ramparts coaches, Mark Kuntz, carried the torch around the rink and Rampart players skated along with him.
This is the second year the torch has been brought to The McCarthy.
Press release:
The Genesee Amateur Hockey Association will host at The David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday, Feb, 25, a USA Try Hockey For Free clinic as part of USA Hockey Week Across America. Starting at 11:40 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., local youth, ages 4 to 9, are welcome at the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning how to “skate”, getting up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting punks into a hockey net (all by being guided by the head coach and on-ice helpers).
“We look forward to welcoming families to the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, Coordinator of the “Try Hockey for Free” event. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.”
The head coach for the event is Erik Triftshauser, along with Fred Hamilton – both with more than 30 years on the ice plus starting out as GAHA players, high school players and GAHA coaches over the years. Their on-ice helpers are mostly from this year’s United high school teams, along with the coaches’ sons.
The event is hosted by the USA Try Hockey for Free Coordinators – Sharon and Bob Gray, and the GAHA Beginner Program Player Coordinator – Marcia Barnes. It is the team’s goal to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and to encourage them to enroll in October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program, which starts the first week of October. The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.
All the participants need is a helmet (hockey or bike) and winter gloves. Skates are available at the rink if needed and will be provided FREE by the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena Management Team.
USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.
Press release:
The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the 2023 Home Show has been scheduled for April 14, 15 & 16, 2023. The Show will be held at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, 22 Evans Street, Batavia.
Vendor applications are being accepted at this time. Applications can be downloaded from the Chamber’s website at https://geneseeny.com/chamber- signature-events/ and are available at the Chamber’s office, 8276 Park Road. Space is limited and on a first-come basis.
Any questions regarding the Show, please feel free to contact Kelly J. Bermingham at kbermingham@geneseeny.com or 585-343-7440, ext. 1026.
Photo: File photo by Howard Owens. Guy Clark of Cedar Street Sales and Rentals shows off a riding mower for a young customer at this year's show.
After a tour of The McCarthy (a condensed version of David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena sometimes used at the rink) Monday, and noting the newly painted fiberglass benches — in “Rampart Blue” — it was clear that a transformation has been taking place.
Led by ice arena operator/manager Matt Gray and his folks, Bob and Sharon Gray, representing Friends of the Rink, this tour showed off the hard work and diligence it takes to turn around an aging, unkempt facility.
Just ask City Council members. They raved about the differences at the rink during a recent council meeting. Bob Bialkowski noted the work and dedication of Friends of the Rink, while Paul Viele commended the condition of the smooth ice — “it’s like day and night” — and Tammy Schmidt happily reported that she attended a game, and kept warm with working heaters for a change.
Two meeting/training rooms have been carved out of the space and painted an ivory cream. Dark chocolate tiles have been installed on the ceiling, and a storage room with clean white cupboards lining one wall and a granite countertop is gradually turning into Matt’s office. A wall opposite the arena itself has also been painted, with a pale blue and Rampart blue trim — a feat performed by Sharon, she proudly said.
“That was built in 1994, but never painted. In every picture from high school, you see him playing, and here's his ugly backdrop,” she said. “So we painted, that was our first project this year. I painted it, and my grandson did the upper part.”
So far, members of the Friends group have put in 407 hours of hands-on volunteer time at the Evans Street arena. With their prompting, the city tore out a ramp with a huge pothole in it and rebuilt that section used for Zamboni storage.
Matt’s first goals were to revamp the concession area, which has been completed along with the addition of more hot food and install new brighter lighting. He is testing out three lights over the rink before proceeding with a larger purchase.
Rink management, including General Manager Kati Murray and Facilities Manager Adam Reich, is on the lookout for 12- to 16-foot conference tables for the meeting rooms, and Gray plans to have wiring installed with Cat 6 data cabling for integrated WiFi, which will allow for Zoom meetings and connect to a large television and camera — donated by Batavia Rotary — for game replays.
Carpet tiles will be added for its use as a “flex space,” he said, as Sharon added that someone recently hosted a birthday party there.
A future goal may be to serve brews at The McCarthy — sounds like a pub, doesn’t it? Other ideas include opening the rink year-round with roller hockey, and having an open public time for recreational roller skating and blading, Matt said.
When the elder Grays formed Friends of the Rink in 2020, they wanted to improve issues they had noticed over the years. A hockey player asked Bob why he was getting so involved. This is just an ice rink, the player said.
“And I said, ‘Yeah, but why can't it be the best ice rink in Western New York? Then when we get Western New York, we can have the best in the state, and keep going,” Bob said, adding that issues of unwanted running water, a filthy environment and poor communication have hurt the arena. “I’ve been here throughout the years, and I see a big improvement.”
The Gray couple agreed that they want to see the rink bounce back, and for youth to be able to enjoy it and perhaps make good friends, just as their son and grandchildren have done.
“That's what we're looking for. We're doing it for the kids,” Bob said. “Matt was a big influence when he took over. We worked like busy beavers.”
Sharon added that she fell on the floor crying when she found out that Matt was taking on rink management. He certainly has the experience, having been a rink user for years, and the business acumen as a local entrepreneur of several successful establishments.
When asked if things have changed from years ago, Sharon had a definitive answer.
“Oh yes, 180 percent,” she said.
And sometimes what’s old is new again.
“We're old timers, you know, so this is a way we used to do it. We’d say, 'why can't we do it like that,' and it worked,” Bob said. “You know, we bring up ideas, and they say, ‘Oh, this is a good idea,’ when it was something we did years ago. We're just bringing it back.”
He’s talking as much about the social aspects of the rink and ice hockey as he is about the structural and aesthetic components. Amateur hockey membership had dropped from 425 players to 257 last year, and for reasons that include family busyness, a wide scope of recreational options — lacrosse and soccer are two popular ones — and other distractions for prospective players, all three Grays said.
This is not just a Batavia phenomenon, they said, but a national one of having multiple options of things to do. And, as Bob said, playing hockey is not just something to do, “it’s a lifestyle.”
“Either you’re in, or you’re out,” he said.
His family has been mostly in — since 1980, when Matt was a beginner on the ice. He aged out in 1996, and soon grandchildren laced up. Despite the downturn of participation in recent years, the Grays are “seeing more family involvement.”
That was one of the biggest benefits for Matt when as a kid, he played ice hockey and made friends for life. He was all in, as any avid hockey player is, Bob said. Another reason that may prevent more kids from participating nowadays is the cost. Helmets, protective gear, and sticks can quickly total $1,200 or more, he said. (See related story about equipment donations.)
Friends of the Rink hosted a Try Hockey For Free kids program this fall and will do so again in February. Members are also mulling a similar event for adults.
As for ice play, and related amenities, Matt plans to reconfigure the bathrooms and showers so that space is more equitable for female players.
“We have a checklist of things that we want to get done this year, next year, and the year after. And then there are side things where Bob, Sharon, Friends of the Rink can really help us do that, outside of what we have otherwise,” Matt said. “And staff have been fantastic with, you know, taking on new projects and doing it in between everything else they have responsibilities for, and then they fill in the gaps on different projects.”
Anyone interested in watching a game remotely may do so through LiveBarn, a subscription-based app. Although parents will typically attend in person, that will be a great tool for coaches scouting out the talent, Matt said, and Batavia United coaches John Kirkwood and Marc Staley set up the app.
For more information about the rink and hours, go to The McCarthy.
Top Photo: Matt Gray and his folks, Bob and Sharon of Friends of the Rink, provide a tour of rink updates and discuss future plans of the Evans Street site; Bob Gray shows the newly painted benches that sit near the concession inside the arena; Matt Gray shows a painted wooden cutout of the Ramparts logo as it sits atop a handmade table in one of the multi-use meeting rooms; ice play in action on the rink.
Sharon Valyear-Gray wanted to make one thing clear: if you're in need of hockey equipment, Friends of the Rink may be able to help.
The nonprofit has six containers and then some of used goods, from skates and helmets to shoulder pads.
What she also wants to make clear -- similar to the sheen on the ice rink at David M. McCarthy ice arena -- is that these goods are available to kids in need to help them enjoy the sport.
Friends of the Rink has brought back the used equipment and skate collection with the sole purpose to "help make the sport of hockey more accessible to local families," the group states.
After a free trial session, called Try Hockey For Free, Genesee Amateur Hockey Association introduces families to its beginner program of 15 sessions (from October to December) and again from January to March. This program is sponsored by Batavia's Tim Horton franchise. Thanks to access to free used equipment and skates, "we can help out the families from the initial purchase of hockey equipment and skates," Valyear-Gray said.
"There is always the anxiety of spending that money and then the youngster becomes disinterested," she said. "Now, once again, we have a collection of gently used equipment and skates totally free of charge to ease that financial burden."
GAHA families have generously been donating items after their own children grow out of the items, she said, which include hockey pants, shoulder and elbow pads, gloves and skates. Supplies of helmets are limited, as they are date-coded with a five-year lifespan. Items are stored in metal bins at the end of the bleachers in the arena.
"Families are welcome to help themselves to needed items," she said, or for assistance, call her at (585) 344-2248 or email svgray@rochester.rr.com.
To donate helmets with the code and date within five years old or less, or other clean ice hockey equipment, drop it off in a bin between the two entry doors. Donations are always welcome and needed as well, she said.
i
Top Photo: Sharon Valyear-Gray of Friends of the Rink shows the shelves of ice hockey items, above, available for free at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street, Batavia. Photos by Howard Owens.
The Kiwanis Club of Batavia today hosted its annual Thanksgiving Day Free Skate at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.
Photos by Philip Casper.
Press release:
Kiwanis Club of Batavia will be hosting its annual Free Thanksgiving Morning Community Skate on Thursday, Nov. 24 from 9 to11 a.m. at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street in Batavia. Admission and skate rentals are free (while supplies last). There will also be free hot chocolate.
Kiwanis Club of Batavia is thankful for the local community’s support of their fundraisers. It’s through their fundraisers that events such as this can be provided for the children of Batavia and surrounding communities. Please come out and enjoy this free event!
Photo: File photos by Howard Owens from 2015
Saturday was a smooth success as several children took to the ice for the Try Hockey for Free program at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia.
The Event was part of USA Hockey Week Across America with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, and is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge. This local event was hosted by the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association.
There were 30 kids registered for the hour of free lessons, which included free skate rentals, hockey sticks and pucks.
"It was a great adventure for all of the children as well as for their families," Coordinator Sharon Valyear-Gray said. "They mentioned that they didn’t know what to expect, but the miracle of seeing their little ones actually skating and using the hockey sticks so proudly when they fell, and that they could get back up with the help of the stick.
"Seeing the excitement and experiencing the energy in the room when the little ones come off the ice makes all the work that goes on behind the scene so worth the effort," she said.
The lead coach was Erik Triftshauser, along with Fred Hamilton and many of the players from the United Hockey Team came to assist. Matt Gray, the operator of the McCarthy Ice Arena, as well as his children Lilly and Leo, who is a goalie and played in net so the little ones could have the total experience, also participated, she said.
Photos by Howard Owens.
If your child has visions of skimming the ice, hockey stick in hand, in a mad dash to slide a puck into the net, that vision can become reality — and for free, Sharon Valyear-Gray says.
As coordinator for the Try Hockey For Free program, Valyear-Gray encourages families of kids ages 4 to 9 to visit the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena from 11:40 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. this Saturday and give it a whirl. All they need to get started is a hockey or bike helmet and winter gloves. Free rental skates and the introductory lesson are free.
“The Event is a part of USA Hockey Week Across America with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, and is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge,” Valyear-Gray said Wednesday. “It is hosted by the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association and we have participated every year except two during Covid.”
She is a bit disappointed with a total registration of about 20 kids so far, as the sport and this opportunity have usually drawn more interest, Valyear-Gray said. Prior years (since its inception in 2010) have usually meant 25 to 35 youngsters slapping hockey pucks around and learning to balance on thin skate blades.
As a core member of Friends of the Rink, Valyear-Gray has been coordinator of this free hockey program for six years, and has more rcently been working with Matt Gray, operator of the McCarthy arena. He hosted an open house in late September so that folks could see the improvements taking place inside the Evans Street facility.
There’s a newly opened snack shop and other upgrades to check out. Gray’s list of current and future work includes replacement of most fixtures for the concession area, upgrading surfaces for a “warmer and inviting space” to serve as a party room, installation of new LED lights throughout the facility, adding new inventory of roller and inline skates for summertime public use, making improvements to the audio/visual system, and expanding the food stand with dedicated seating in a sports bar concept.
Another plus is that this weekend’s participants will be working with Lead Coach Erik Triftshauser and Fred Hamilton – both who have more than 25 years of experience, she said.
“They will be on the ice with many of the present United high school players,” she said. “Several present and past coaches also show up to participate as they believe in the event and enjoy the time with youngsters and experience their enthusiasm for hockey.”
“I believe strongly in the event and still have four grandchildren playing within the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association organization,” she said. “Up until two years ago, I had six playing hockey. I realize that there are still many sports still active currently, such as football and soccer that many youngsters are still participating in.”
So why would families want to attend this Saturday? Kids will learn how to skate, to get up after falling, get some basic skills with a hockey stick, shooting pucks into a hockey net, and all with no monetary investment, she said. Although the program is geared for ages 4 to 9, some participants have been up to 12 years old.
“We look forward to welcoming families to David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to try our great sport of ice hockey,” she said. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.”
Interested? You can pre-register at TryHockeyForFree.com. Use the 14020 zip code when registering. Walk-ins are also welcome to join, she said. If parents have questions, contact Valyear-Gray at svgray@rochester.rr.com or call 585-344-2248.
File photo from the 2016 Try Hockey For Free program, by Howard Owens.
An ice rink reserve fund will likely be tapped in the near future due to leaks from the ice chiller.
Water and wastewater Superintendent Michael Ficarella discussed the matter with City Council during its meeting Monday evening.
“We recently had to add emergency refrigerant,” he said to members at City Hall. “The refrigerant creates your ice. In order to get it and keep it up (to operating standards), we needed to add 360 pounds of refrigerant.”
The cost for that emergency measure was $21,950, he said in a memo to City Manager Rachael Tabelski. She suggested holding spending of $170,000 for revamped locker rooms in lieu of rectifying the faulty ice rink chiller.
“We continue to discover issues with the chiller,” Ficarella said.
If there’s no ice, renovated locker rooms wouldn’t be necessary, so the chiller should come first, he said.
Ficarella added that it’s not a matter of asking “can we use it?
“We absolutely need it,” he said.
Improved communication between the city and new management, which includes Carrier Commercial Services, has meant an increased amount of issues brought to light, he said. For example, a compressor replacement installed some time ago hadn't even been turned on and therefore hadn't been working.
"So when Michael and (Public Works Superintendent Brett Frank) talk about the increased communication and relationship between ourselves and Carrier, who we have a contract with, and the rink, we're going to keep running into these things," Tabelski said. "Because we're going to continue to find places that might not have been maintained to the level that they need it to be for operations to continue."
Frank estimated the unit was several decades old — considered to be original equipment with the arena’s construction in the 1970s.
Council member Tammy Schmidt said there was a time when locals weren’t very happy with the condition of the arena, and that is changing with new management led by businessman Matt Gray for the newly dubbed David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street. Her grandson plays hockey there, and "it's not a rink we could have been proud of a couple of years back," she said.
“I know the locker rooms are absolutely in need of repair. They're super bad," Schmidt said. "And I hope we're not just going to spend all the (funding on) refrigerant and not do those locker rooms at all, because we want to be proud of that, right?"
Ficarella asked that the emergency refrigerant cost be taken out of the ice rink reserve, which currently has a balance of $357,000.
The matter, and a related vote, was moved to a future business meeting.
File photo of the McCarthy ice arena in Batavia.
Press release:
Genesee Amateur Hockey Association invites children to the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street on Saturday, Nov. 5 for a Try Hockey For Free clinic as part of Hockey Week Across America. Starting at 11:40 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. local youth, ages 4 to 9, are encouraged to experience ice hockey for the first time and learn the basic skills in a fun, safe environment.
“We look forward to welcoming families to David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena to try our great sport of ice hockey,” said Sharon Gray, Coordinator of the Event. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces.”
USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.
All your youngster needs is a helmet (bike or sports) and winter gloves. Skates are available at the Rink free of charge (due to the generous offering of the Batavia Sports Facility Management LLC). The GAHA organization does have some used hockey helmets available for the event as well as a few hockey sticks.
Players in attendance will be given a free hockey jersey to take home.
To register for this Try Hockey For Free event, please visit
www.TryHockeyForFree.com (Use zip code 14020)
Photo: File photo by Howard Owens from 2015. Brian Gildner teaches his daughter Nora, then 3, how to shoot a puck.
The Friends of the Rink held a scrap drive fundraiser on Saturday as part of the Open House weekend for the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street.
Previously: New management hosts David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena open house this weekend
Top Photo: Steph Call, Pete Corbelli, Steve Pies, Bob Gray, and Sharon Gray.
Photos by Howard Owens.
Press release:
The David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena is hosting an open house weekend this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The McCarthy Ice Arena welcomes the community back to the arena for another great year of winter sports. Stop by the Evans Street arena and check out the recent improvements to the rink, enjoy discounted public events, cheer on area youth and adult hockey teams, and food specials at the newly opened snack shop.
EVENTS
- $5 Hockey Skate & Shoot Friday 3p-5p
- $5 Public Skate, free Rentals Friday 7p-9p
- Batavia City Schools Public Skate Day Saturday 1p-3p (A portion of the proceeds go back to Batavia Community Schools) $13 includes admission and Rentals
- Family Skate Sunday - $25 for up to a family of 4, admission and rentals
- $1 hotdogs at the snack shop all weekend
Friends of the Rink Scrap Metal Drive on Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Games
- Ramparts 16U WNY - Saturday 6 p.m.
- Ramparts 18U WNY - Saturday 7:40 p.m.
- Ramparts 16U MOHL - Sunday 3:10 p.m.
- BMHL - 4 games Sunday morning starting at 6:55 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m.
Press Release:
The Friends of the Rink organization will be sponsoring a Community Scrap Metal Drive Fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena (rear parking lot), 22 Evans St., Batavia, New York.
All proceeds will be used to fund needed ice rink improvement projects.
Unacceptable items include – refrigerators, vehicle wheel rims with tires attached, items containing mercury, items with fluids inside or out – gas, oil, hydraulic oil, tar, etc.
This event held in cooperation with Ed Arnold Scrap Processors, Corfu, New York.
The Genesee County and Batavia youth bureaus hosted their annual Safe Summer Children’s Carnival at David M. McCarthy Ice Arena on Thursday.
The event featured entertainment and games that helped introduce the children to safety concepts. Officers from Batavia PD along with City firefighters were on hand. Multiple other local agencies also participated.
Photos by Howard Owens
Matt Gray and his folks, Bob Gray and Sharon Valyear-Gray, sat in the audience during City Council’s conference meeting Monday evening. Matt was waiting to hear what came soon in the business meeting that followed: a unanimous 9-0 vote to approve his pitch as Batavia Sports Facility Management to fully embrace operations at the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena.
"I'm very proud of him," Valyear-Gray said.
City officials’ reactions ranged from happiness to nostalgia.
“This is fantastic,” councilman Paul Viele said. “It’s good to see local people interested in the ice rink.”
Councilman Bob Bialkowski and President Eugene Jankoski were excited about the prospects of having a local Batavian on board.
“It’s great, just great to see community involvement,” Bialkowski said.
The contract is with Matt as owner of Batavia Sports Facility. It’s a five-year contract, with up to three five-year renewals. Matt, who has partnerships with Eli Fish Brewery and Matty’s Pizza, has an eye toward the snack bar with thoughts that perhaps some of that familiar food and drink would be served there.
"We do plan, in the very near future, some upgrades to the existing snack shop. We do have a five-year plan with quite a bit of capital improvements to it … so we do hope that we can extend the snack bar into more of a sit-down area inside the rink,” he said.
Since he was in kindergarten, Matt played ice hockey at the Evans Street arena, all through high school and even when he attended college locally, he said. So it’s fair to say that he’s been actively involved with the ice rink and Ramparts hockey team for more than a decade.
“But even more than that, I’ve been active for the last five years or so with development of that area,” he said during a quick interview with The Batavian after the meeting. “So not only am I interested in doing the necessary improvements to the rink - it is aging, it’s over 40 years old — but it also could be an economic catalyst for the entire downtown area. My goal was to see it used to its fullest, not only for more of the residents of the city and town of Batavia but also drawing more people in from (outside of the local area).”
Matt’s proposal is “super exciting,” City Manager Rachael Tabelski said to The Batavian after the meeting. She was a teen in the early 90s and remembers Batavia as “really a fun place to come to.” The city had amenities such as an arcade of games, a swimming and wading pool and a fairly active ice rink.
“I think we’re bringing the 80s and 90s back,” she said.
Matt clarified that he doesn’t have an official partnership with Robbie Nichols, owner of Batavia Muckdogs and CAN-USA Sports and operator of Dwyer Stadium. But because of Nichols’ extensive background in the business of sports, he and Matt have been discussing various ideas for the rink.
“He did reach out to me with his expertise and his experience in order to be part of this, both for marketing and someone I can go to for just knowledge on risk management,” Matt said.
Activities planned for the rink include special events, dog shows, rollerskating, youth and adult floor/roller hockey, gym classes, home shows, indoor basketball and soccer, gun shows, all in addition to open skates and ice hockey leagues.
Batavia Sports Facility is taking over for former operations company Firland Management, which did not renew a contract in July.
Previously: From beer and pizza to ice, Batavia entrepreneur proposes his next venture
Photo: Batavia entrepreneur Matt Gray walks out of a City Council meeting Monday evening with the approval from all nine council members for his proposal to operate and manage the ice rink as Batavia Sports Facility Management.
Restaurants? Check. Brewery? Check. Quality apartments? Pizza shop? Of course.
After successfully dipping his hands into a varied professional portfolio, Matt Gray is now going into the ice business.
His bid, along with CAN-USA Sports, LLC, to manage operations at the city’s ice arena will be up for discussion at City Council’s conference meeting next week. It’s set for 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall.
Earlier this year the city sought requests for proposal to take over the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena since Firland Management did not seek to renew its contract, which expired June 30. Listing a set of requirements and expectations for who the appropriate candidate would be, the city wanted a manager to help grow the use and presence of the Evans Street rink.
Apparently, according to a memo from City Manager Rachael Tabelski, Batavia Sports Facility Management, led by Gray, hit that sweet spot.
The company “submitted a proposal that is focused on increasing the long-term usage of the rink by actively targeting new local participants through marketing a broader selection of offerings, such as sunrise health programming, a summer roller public skate, curling and private party rentals,” she said.
“They are also focused on increasing the number of events held at the arena to attract large volumes of out-of-area users to realize the potential of the facility as an economic engine for the city,” Tabelski said. “These will include trade show, sports tournaments and concerts.”
Gray has an extensive background of serving on boards and putting his money where his mouth is. He owns Alex’s Place, has a partnership for Eli Fish Brewing Company and Matty’s Pizza, plus operates a property management company with retail properties and a mixed use building — with the brewery and seven market-rate apartments — in downtown Batavia. He also has a partnership for five restaurants in North Carolina. For the past 25 years, he has managed nine start-ups, developing several brands from concept and launch to a fully mature and operational enterprise.
Gray currently serves on the city’s Planning and Development Board, is vice president of Genesee County Economic Development Corporation and other current roles are on Batavia Development Corporation Small Business Workgroup, Batavia Business Improvement District Promotions Committee and as a USA Hockey Level 4 coach.
The entrepreneur has also served with other groups, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Committee, Batavia’s Creek Park Youth Hockey Economic Development Committee and is a founding member of the city’s Community Garden. He is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Genesee.
Speaking of money, Batavia Sports Facility Management has also proposed collaboration with the city to help with capital improvements at the ice facility “and expend funds from their own budget,” Tabelski said in her memo. That means doling out $140,000 toward capital expenses for:
Tabelski has recommended that City Council approve an agreement with the Batavia management group.
Might there be craft beer and pizza in the arena’s future? Gray was not available for comment Friday.
2022 File Photo of Matt Gray, Batavia entrepreneur, who has now proposed management of the city's ice arena.
A new management company for the city’s ice arena is expected to come before City Council for vote at its meeting next month.
A number of submissions had been received during the city’s request for proposals process, and it’s likely that one company will be selected, City Manager Rachael Tabelski says.
“We received responses back. And we have worked on scoring them and we're looking to get under contract with one management company by the July 11 meeting,” she said during an interview Monday evening with The Batavian. “That would be a full lease agreement with a new management company for the rink.”
She couldn’t name the company due to being in progress with finalizing a contract, Tabelski said. The new prospective company, if approved by council next month, will take over management operations of the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena on Evans Street. Former company Firland Management did not renew its contract, which is to expire on June 30.
2022 File Photo of a dedication ceremony of the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena in Batavia. Photo by Howard Owens.
There wasn’t just a group of some 150 people gathered outside of the city’s ice rink Friday; they were supporters, friends and family there in honor of the late David McCarthy and to take the rink to another level of existence.
The event debuted a new sign for the David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena and offered opportunity for a few words to be said in his honor.
“I just brought it to the McCarthy Foundation because it was important to me; David was important to me,” said Guy Pellegrino, who spearheaded a deal for the naming rights of the Evans Street ice arena. “I wanted to honor him, I wanted to honor my friend. What better way to do that, and look at this turnout, you can see what it means to the community.”
Pellegrino, owner of Pellegrino Auto Sales, worked with the city to buy the naming rights for $3,100 annually for 10 years. It was a “bittersweet” moment to see his vision realized, Pellegrino said.
“I would much rather have my friend here,” he said. “But, it’s an honor, quite an honor, to have his name up here. As far as I’m concerned, as long as I’m around I’m going to make sure it’s here.”
He and the late David McCarthy, who was killed at age 29 in an automobile accident in November 2006, played hockey together from 1983 to 1995, when the Batavia High Ice Devils made a run to the New York State finals. McCarthy was a talented athlete who served as team captain and was a “great, great” friend, Pellegrino has previously said.
He retired six years ago from playing hockey, and has a son who now plays at the rink, Pellegrino said. It gives him pause to see the place adorned with a special tribute.
“When I walk in, seeing the sign is pretty special,” he said. “It means something to me.”
Brian McCarthy, David’s brother and president of the Foundation, thanked the swarm of people there to celebrate a new beginning.
“From our family to some hockey families we haven’t seen since the 90s, it’s amazing, all of our supporters, friends and family, thanks for being here. How’s the sign look, pretty good, right?” Brian said to a rousing applause and cheers. “We’re here because of, basically, what hockey does for relationships. Our friend Guy Pellegrino came to us and said there’s an opportunity to name the rink, and I’d like it to be named after Dave. These guys have been teammates and buddies since they were five years old. Guy came to us and said ‘let’s make it happen.’”
The Foundation, Friends of the Rink, Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, city management and other supporters are working to do just that, he said. The overall goal is to improve youth athletics in Genesee County, he said.
“So we worked together to say let’s make this happen, just to support this place where so many of us have met and become friends and family, just to get more involved, just to show how much this building means to us,” Brian McCarthy said.
He thanked City Council and Manager Rachael Tabelski and her office staff, the organizations involved, Friends of the Rink founders Bob Gray and Sharon Valyear-Gray, the Foundation’s board of directors, GAHA, families, friends and supportive community members.
“A lot of feedback I’ve gotten is what a positive step this is for GAHA,” he said. “Let’s just embrace that for all hockey parents, building relationships like Dave and Guy had .. let’s do everything we can as parents to make this the best it possibly can be for kids.Use this as a stepping stone, make it about the kids, let’s use this as a stepping stone to take this organization and this building to the next level.”
Top photo: Community members gather outside of the officially named David M. McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena Friday on Evans Street, Batavia. Speakers share some thoughts about the new name, the arena's namesake and how all involved will help to push momentum for improvements at the rink. Photos by Howard Owens.
Press Release
The dedication and unveiling of the signage at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena has been set for 6 p.m. Friday at 22 Evans St., Batavia.
We are asking that all of the families and friends of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, the Batavia men’s hockey league, the United High School teams, rink users and supporters of the David McCarthy Memorial Foundation, as well as the Batavia City Council and governing personnel, attend this event and show our support. All interested individuals are also welcome to attend.
We are planning to also offer a fundraiser with a food stand opening at 5 p.m. before as well as after the presentation in the rink parking lot, featuring hotdogs, chips and water, with proceeds going to the foundation. The stand will be manned by individuals from the “friends of the rink” group.
The annual David McCarthy Memorial Golf Tournament will take place on Saturday, June 4th.
Please join us and show your support of the ice rink!
Photo by Howard Owens
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