Hi,

My name is Jacob Piros and I am a currently a Junior hockey player on the NIU hockey team. I originally got involved with this proposal because I wanted to make it easier on the fans and players for travel as our current rink is forty five minutes away from campus in Elgin, IL.

I know the rink would be a great opportunity to enhance the student experience at NIU. It could provide opportunities for stronger growth and recruitment of the ACHA D1 AND D3 hockey programs. There's also huge potential to have a women's hockey team as it is one of the fastest girls sports growing. 

This could also lead to the creation of intramural hockey, a figure skating club, and also a curling club. There can be more student opportunities to make an unreal student section experience through the band, cheer/dance team, and even involvement through the greek life here to enhance the hockey game atmosphere. Additionally, there can be rink employment options for students as well.

However, there's greater potential for this rink besides the benefits it could have for the university. Whether the rink be located in the city of Dekalb or Sycamore or directly on campus (That is to be determined), the rink could benefit many hockey families in the surrounding areas. There are plenty of families that travel far just to play their sport including Dekalb's combined high school hockey team and i'm sure they would love a closer spot to play. Establishing a foundational youth hockey program is a great start to help turn more families into hockey families and grow this wonderful game even more. Kids in the areas really don't have a lot of things to do in the winter time and this would really brighten up the community during the colder months.

Going even beyond the hockey spectrum, what could make a greater impact as whole would be proposing a community center. This could be a place that provides more entertainment then just an ice rink. In the community, Sycamore closed a pool recently and Dekalb is looking for a 250 seat venue for a prom. So what if we had a place that held a rink, pool, a small event venue, a small recreation section, a turf field, and maybe even potential to incorporate a bar/restaurant for example. This community center could be a destination that would attract more visitors to the area which can then help surrounding businesses due to tourism. 

Some facilities at NIU are rather old. Like where gymnastics and wrestling practice. Therefore, a combined facility with all these sports with a hockey rink could be something in the horizon as well. 

Expanding even more so, there's potential to combine with a local minor league soccer team, Dekalb United FC, to have a combined recreational facility.

A facility like this can increase enrollment to NIU and grow the NIU brand to a place where student athletes and ordinary people just want to come and experience.

All ideas right now, but i'm just looking for the right people to partner with to help make this dream a reality. I am currently involved with an architecture firm called, JLG Architects. They are presently scoping land in partnership with an investment group. 

However, even more partners will be extremely more beneficial and I would love if we can generate as much noise as possible to get this community center/ice rink project rolling.

The goal is 10,000 signatures. That many signatures will grab the attention of NIU's athletic department which can help pave the way for this project to happen.

More families are moving into our community due to the increase in jobs in the area, which gives everyone from the youth to adults something they can all look forward to and enjoy. 

This is something that can benefit the student athletes, students, the youth, families, and community members ranging from Dekalb to Sycamore to NIU to Cortland and beyond.

Please spread the word and show the school/ community why we all need this rink/community center.

Thank you