Harlem NY Skaters Protest Lack Of Ice Time

[Skittl1321]

At least around here, most private school students are not from the community the private school is in- they essentially commute to school. In that case, they don't pay any taxes to our city. The public and private school swim team uses the community center pool, but I don't know what either pays for it.

However, the kids on the private school swim team can't use the pool outside of swim team time unless they pay the (large) non-resident membership (or happen to live in my city, but that isn't very many). The kids who go to the public school get free use of the pool outside of swim team time because it is tax supported, and they are residents.

[pixie cut]

I highly doubt it's a racial situation, it's strictly economic, the hockey teams can afford to pay anything the rink wants so even though they are not from the neighborhood they get the prime skating times.

Figure Skating in Harlem pays exactly the same for the ice as the hockey programs. It's simply a matter of gender and influence.

[Debbie S]

However, the kids on the private school swim team can't use the pool outside of swim team time unless they pay the (large) non-resident membership (or happen to live in my city, but that isn't very many). The kids who go to the public school get free use of the pool outside of swim team time because it is tax supported, and they are residents.

Your community sounds a bit more compartmentalized than in my area. Here, schools are supported by property taxes, but due to a lawsuit a few years ago, there is now a bit more equity as far as allocations - I believe funding is not solely determined by tax revenues in a particular county/city. Taxes go to the state, which in turn distributes funding to each county or city school system, which is now based on some formula a bit more complex than revenue totals.

Harlem is not a separate city within NYC. I'm not sure if community services are funded separately within each borough, but even so, I'm guessing most using the rink are residents of Manhattan and pay taxes there. So yes, they would all be paying into the system to support the rink.

[leafygreens]

In the NY area, hockey players *do* have games at 6am, as well as at midnight. Just the other day, the dad sitting near me was discussing his son's next game - Saturday at 6:30am up in Connecticut.

They have GAMES at 6 am, but they sure don't have PRACTICE that early. I have never seen a hockey team have practice this early and I've skated at many different rinks.

You pay NYC taxes if you live in any of the five boroughs. Harlem is part of Manhattan though. Manhattan doesn't have a separate tax.

[Skittl1321]

Your community sounds a bit more compartmentalized than in my area. Here, schools are supported by property taxes, but due to a lawsuit a few years ago, there is now a bit more equity as far as allocations - I believe funding is not solely determined by tax revenues in a particular county/city. Taxes go to the state, which in turn distributes funding to each county or city school system, which is now based on some formula a bit more complex than revenue totals.

Harlem is not a separate city within NYC. I'm not sure if community services are funded separately within each borough, but even so, I'm guessing most using the rink are residents of Manhattan and pay taxes there. So yes, they would all be paying into the system to support the rink.

Yes, that is how our schools work. But the "rink" (or pool in this example, as we don't have a community rink) is not part of the school. It's a community center that the school uses. It is not paid for by state money, but by local money.

However, understanding that Harlem is not incorporated seperately, I'd say that anyone in NYC has equal rights to it's community facility.

[nylynnr]

However, understanding that Harlem is not incorporated seperately, I'd say that anyone in NYC has equal rights to it's community facility.

Riverbank Park is New York State park and the rink is partially funded by everyone who pays taxes to NYS. The rink sells permits to various private organizations, including FSH and NYC schools, and I believe all of these organizations pay equivalent amounts for the ice time. Part of the issue is that a chunk of the ice time is allotted not for private school hockey practice or FSH, but for Riverbank Youth Hockey, a public program which endeavors to draw a diverse group from local neighborhoods. Girls can also participate in this hockey program, however, most of the kids are boys. Throw in the public sessions the rink offers that are open to all and you have a serious shortage of ice time.

[Skittl1321]

Throw in the public sessions the rink offers that are open to all and you have a serious shortage of ice time.

But to me, this is just true of all rinks. I was thinking that the girls of Harlem are being shorted by their community rink. But what really seems to be happening is that like most every rink I've ever seen, figure skating just gets the short end of the stick.

My rink has 6 hours of dedicated figure skating time a week (T/R at 6:00 - 8:00 am, W at 4:30-5:30 pm, and Sat. at 8:00-9:00 a.m.) If you aren't home schooled you can only use 2, maybe 4, of those hours, because school starts at 7:30. If you want more than that, you practice on public sessions. That makes for some very scary public sessions, IMO, but it's how the rink decided to operate.

[leafygreens]

But to me, this is just true of all rinks. I was thinking that the girls of Harlem are being shorted by their community rink. But what really seems to be happening is that like most every rink I've ever seen, figure skating just gets the short end of the stick.

My rink has 6 hours of dedicated figure skating time a week (T/R at 6:00 - 8:00 am, W at 4:30-5:30 pm, and Sat. at 8:00-9:00 a.m.) If you aren't home schooled you can only use 2, maybe 4, of those hours, because school starts at 7:30. If you want more than that, you practice on public sessions. That makes for some very scary public sessions, IMO, but it's how the rink decided to operate.

I hate when this happens. I'm lucky enough to live near a couple different rinks, but not everyone has this option. Skating is a very tough sport just to even find the resources to do it. ITA figure skating always gets the short end of the stick.

[giselle23]

I saw this lastnight on CBS NY.

Once again, hockey makes more money for ice rinks! Boo!

This is a fantastic program for young under privledged girls!

The thing that makes it feel so bad, is that this is a public park made for the Harlem town, and the hockey teams playing there are from private schools.

Support their cause as much as possible!

If it's a public rink, money shouldn't factor in as much. It seems to me that on a public rink permits should be allocated equally--I don't know how many are applying, but no one group should be able to have more than a fair share of rink time. JMHO. (On the other hand, if it's private, they do have to take money into account. It doesn't benefit anyone if they can't make enough money to stay in business)

[overedge]

Does the City of New York have any kind of gender equity policy WRT access to publicly funded facilities?