Ice-skaters and curlers might make way for hockey players one day on the Ice Inline site.
There are plans for Ice Inline to build a covered rink in Molyneux Park next to the Molyneux Aquatic centre so waste heat from the production of ice at the rink can be used to heat the pool.
The redevelopment would cost about $3 million and the Vincent Community Board will provide a loan of up to $1.5 million for the project.
There will be no ratepayer funding and loan repayments will be funded through electricity cost savings from the joint plant.
As part of the deal, the ice rink and building will be taken over by the Central Otago District Council and the Vincent Community Board recently asked for feedback on alternative future uses for the site.
Only one proposal was received by the closing date, from the Molyneux Turf Committee, which wanted the site as a new venue for hockey.
The board will consider the proposal at its meeting on Monday.
The council's property and facilities officer, Tara Bates, has recommended the proposal for artificial turf to be laid so the site can be used as a hockey venue be the ''preferred option'' for the future use of the ice rink.
The turf committee is made up of 18 people and includes businesspeople along with players and administrators from seven hockey clubs, including school clubs in Alexandra and the Maniototo and Manuherikia hockey clubs.
A rough estimate of the cost of the project was $900,000 to $1.3 million, it said.
''Hockey is a sport long associated with the Central Otago area. Central players regularly appear in national primary level, age-group, open and Olympic teams,'' the committee said in its submission.
There were 611 registered hockey players in the district last season, an increase of 59 players from the year before
which continued the growth from previous seasons.
''For some time there has been discussion within the local hockey community around the development of an additional turf in Central Otago and the benefits that would provide.
"The relocation of the skating rink provides a unique opportunity to achieve this and minimise the cost,'' the committee said. Hockey in the district is focused on the Cromwell turf.
That facility is 17 years old and has no changing facilities or clubrooms but an upgrade is planned. Omakau has a half-turf, which is used for some primary school games and for practices, and Pioneer Park has a multi-use artificial turf which is used for hockey practices.
An additional turf based at Ice Inline's site would meet current and growing demand for practice and competition facilities and promote further growth in the sport, especially for players from the Maniototo and Teviot Valley areas, the committee said.
