Towns deciding fate of hockey arena

SWANTON — Officials in the Vermont town of Swanton have chosen to enter into a lease for a tri-town hockey arena.
The selectboard also agreed to recommend that the towns pursue a $5 million project for a facility upgrade. That would bring the 185-foot rink to 200-foot regulation size.
Hopes of renovating the current Highgate Arena have been the talk of Swanton, Highgate and Franklin, which would share ownership.
The St. Albans Messenger reports Highgate has formally agreed to enter into the contract. Franklin hasn’t decided.
Two ballots items would be needed in each town to make decisions about the rink. Voters would decide whether to support a bond to pay for their town’s percentage of the project and whether to allow their select boards to enter in the inter-local contract.