MISSION VIEJO : Roller Hockey Players in Line to Get 4 City-Approved Rinks

After being banned from almost every school in the city, roller hockey players now will have four rinks of their own.

To the cheers of players and parents, the City Council on Monday approved building a tournament-style rink as part of a future park and renovating the city-owned Upper Marguerite tennis courts into a roller hockey facility.

“This could be very nice,” Councilwoman Sharon Cody said. “This is something special where everyone finds something they like.”

For older club competitors, the city will build a full-size competition facility and practice rink on about four acres of a planned 10-acre park at Alicia Parkway and Olympiad Road.

Tentatively called Applegate Park, the site will be developed with funds from the Mission Viejo Co. as part of a 1990 deal with the city that granted $12 million in parks for approval of a 700-home tract.

The city is considering proposals from 15 companies and individuals who want to build the rink, concession stands and a pro shop on the park in exchange for a long-term lease.

The Upper Marguerite tennis courts will be converted to rinks for a league run by the YMCA for those 14 years old and younger. The YMCA recently agreed to lease the adjoining recreation center from the city.

The effort to find a roller hockey facility started in April when the Capistrano Unified School District asked the City Council to ban roller hockey players, along with skateboarders, from their campuses.

Several players, coaches and parents from the city’s club teams showed up to protest the ban. The council voted to establish a task force on the issue.