National Park Service scrutinizes Marina properties, including popular roller rink.

Marina’s failure to meet requirements set by the National Park Service has brought federal scrutiny to some of the city’s properties.


The city’s contract with Water City Roller Hockey, a skating rink on the former Fort Ord, expired last year, prompting the city to seek approval for a new agreement from the park service. But a February letter from the feds outlines several concerns regarding the use of the property.


Water City has operated as a concession under the city since 1995, according to Mark Tanous, the rink’s co-proprietor. The property was conveyed to Marina through the park service’s Federal Lands to Parks Program after the military base closed.


According to the 1993 agreement between the city and the park service, the city meant to use the building as a gym for sports like basketball, volleyball and weight training. The city was supposed to cement or amend that proposal within two years of the 1998 conveyance.


But since then, the park service has no record of a final proposal for the use of the property, according to David Siegenthaler, program coordinator for the Federal Lands to Parks Program.


Roller hockey may be a legitimate public recreational use, he says, but the city needs to establish that with the park service.


Tanous says the facility serves the public as a space for public skating, league roller hockey and local fundraisers.


In 2005, Marina made a master plan regarding the use of its park properties and referred to the rink as a “commercial enterprise that serves a regional base of users.” The word “commercial” raised a red flag for Siegenthaler, who wanted more details.


“We would need to see some sort of verification from the city that that is a public facility,” he says. The park service has similar concerns about a 15-acre parcel of land just south of the roller rink and the Marina Equestrian Center.


Siegenthaler has recommended that the city submit a report outlining its use of the public areas. The city is required to submit such a report every two years, but he says the last one was sent in 2007.


Marina Recreation Director Terry Siegrist refuses to comment, saying the matter will be discussed in a March 19 City Council closed session. Interim City Manager Doug Yount did not return multiple phone calls.


Water City co-proprietor Jennifer Holmes is surprised by the fuss.


“There was never any question at that time it was conveyed,” she says, “that the sports center would be used for anything other than roller hockey.”