Roller Hockey Enthusiasts Think Redondo Beach Proposal Is Rinky-Dink : Recreation: Daighn DuGally and Scott Jones are frustrated that the City Council rejected their proposal for a full-size rink, favoring instead two smaller ones.

For want of a full-size rink, Redondo Beach residents Daighn DuGally and Scott Jones often travel as far as Whittier and Reseda to play roller hockey. And for good reason: When they set up makeshift rinks in local schoolyards, police chase them away.

So about 18 months ago, the pair began working with city officials to bring a full-size roller hockey rink to Redondo Beach, where the relatively new sport is enjoying growing popularity. But their effort ended in disappointment this week, when the Redondo Beach City Council upheld its recent decision to back a plan for two smaller rinks.

Council members said they prefer the twin-rink plan because it would generate more money for the cash-starved city--an estimated $60,000 a year. That approach, however, annoyed DuGally and Jones, who said it still leaves Redondo Beach without a full-size rink.

“The city’s big concern is money,” Jones said. “The smaller rinks would be like playing baseball without right and center fields.”

DuGally’s and Jones’ plan was contained in a rink proposal submitted to the city by Dive N’ Surf, the local sporting goods store that employs them. The proposal was ranked last among four that were judged by city officials.

In June, the council approved a contract with the winner, the California Street Hockey Association (CSHA). On Tuesday night, council members decided against reversing that decision despite an appeal by DuGally and Jones.

City Manager William E. Kirchhoff defended the city’s actions. “Our job here is to determine what is in the best interest of Redondo Beach,” he told council members Tuesday. “Their (DuGally and Jones) job is what is in the best interest of Dive N’ Surf.”

DuGally and Jones charged that they were treated unfairly, pointing out that the city had no rink plans of any kind until they first made their pitch about 18 months ago. They said that, at the time, city Parks and Recreation Department officials went so far as to ask them to organize and operate youth and adult roller hockey leagues.

The pair also accused the city staff of failing to thoroughly investigate the Rowland Heights-based CSHA’s revenue projections, which DuGally characterized as “unrealistic.” He said Dive N’ Surf was penalized for being too honest about revenue estimates.

CSHA offered to build two smaller rinks in Redondo Beach’s Aviation Park instead of one larger rink as Dive N’ Surf had proposed. In addition, CSHA agreed to pave the rinks at its own expense, while Dive N’ Surf had counted on the city to fund the rink construction just as it has paid for other recreational facilities such as basketball and tennis courts.

The smaller rinks, which measure about 135 feet by 70 feet, will not accommodate a full five-on-five roller hockey match and are designed mainly for street hockey, which is played without in-line skates, Jones said. He said regulation-size roller hockey rinks should be the same size as an ice hockey rink, which is approximately 200 feet by 85 feet.

But city officials pointed out that the new sport has no established rules for size, and that they followed the minimal size requirements set forth by a national in-line skating organization. City recreation officials also believe that the smaller rinks would be appropriate for youngsters.

Initially, some City Council members appeared sympathetic Tuesday night to Dive N’ Surf’s argument to reconsider the awarding of the contract to CSHA.

“I don’t care who gets the contract,” Mayor Brad Parton said. “But it’s kind of turned into a full-time business, and I’m not sure if that’s what we want.”

“We’re going to be making all this money off these kids,” Councilman Stevan Colin agreed. “I think we are getting in over our heads, and it’s become something that we never intended.”

But Councilwoman Kay Horrell seemed to sway her colleagues by asserting that the financial interests of the city outweighed a desire for a regulation-size roller hockey rink.

“We all know Dive N’ Surf, and it’s a great business. But folks, it’s a business and, guess what, this city is a business also. And we are wising up to the fact we want the nickels in our pockets, and hallelujah.”

For their part, DuGally and Jones said they won’t play on the smaller rinks, which are expected to open in January. The pair are currently negotiating with the city of Torrance to construct a regulation-size roller hockey rink there, DuGally said.

“We just want to play roller hockey,” he said. “Now we have to go out of the city we live in to do it.”