OCR Text |
Show Skaters ; wonder about rink's future as Baker family departs Christopher Smart A rally by local skaters on behalf of the Baker family drew the attention of news reporters from Salt Lake City. by TERI GOMES Record contributing writer After the cancellation of the Baker family's contract to operate The Resort Center ice rink, skates still were being rented and ice time sold this week, but no skating lessons were being offered. But attempts apparently are being made to arrange for instructors to take over students taught by the Bakers. The Baker family, which managed the center for the past two years, has left and employees of Prudential Development Co. which , operates The Resort Center are running the rink. In the meantime, Prudential officials of-ficials have maintained silence as to why the Bakers' contract was not renewed and why efforts were made to conclude the contract early. The notice that the Baker family's contract had been terminated was received Friday, Nov. 23, in the form of a notice taped to the door of the family home. The Bakers then discovered the locks had been changed on the doors of the skate house at the rink. Later, utilities to the skating shack were cut off. Because their contract did not expire ex-pire until Dec. 1, family members climbed through a window to reenter re-enter the shack, on the advice of their lawyer, and continued business as usual. Prudential employees disabled the Zamboni ice-clearing machine, but community members, in a show of support for the Bakers, came out in force to help clear the ice by hand. John Heaton, lawyer for the Bakers, said the family felt they had a verbal contract to run the rink through the winter. "They would like to continue and feel they can do a better job than anyone else. " If Prudential decides not to retain the Bakers, Heaton said the family will review its legal position. Over the weekend, a group of parents organized by Park City resident resi-dent Mary Wintzer, put together a series of demonstrations in support of the Baker family, including the ice-clearing. A group of youngsters last week organized a skating party - in support of the Baker family. Resort Center merchants, skaters and parents of skating students also wrote letters of support for the Bakers and gave them to Pruden tial. Throughout the controversy, officials of-ficials from Prudential have declined declin-ed to comment for the record when asked about the rink and the future of skating programs there. One Prudential official who asked not to be quoted said that skating teachers from the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center would soon be offering skating lessons at the rink. But a professional at the Cottonwood Heights rink said no contract had been presented and nothing was firm at this time. Cottonwood Heights skating director direc-tor Nancy Grogan said no one from The Resort Center had contacted her. But one instructor there, Sharon Patterson, said she had been called and was interested in the Resort Center job. "But everything is real tentative," she said. "I think some of the other pros might be interested also, but there's only been a few phone calls nothing firm at all. "And if there were any chance of the Bakers coming back, I wouldn't want to be involved. I've taught some of the Baker children and I wouldn't want to hurt them in any way." if . |