St. Louis Park wants you to know that while the city may be building a new ice rink, it's not just about hockey.

The City Council this week approved an $8.5 million plan for a covered, multiuse sports and community facility adjacent to the city's Rec Center. The facility is expected to open in early 2017.

The fabric-roofed building will include a refrigerated outdoor rink. But officials were quick to point out that it will support a host of uses and will be devoted to skating and hockey for only four months of the year. (The Rec Center has two indoor rinks.)

"We are truly building this facility for everyone," said Cindy Walsh, the city's operations and recreation director. "It is not just for hockey or for skating. … It will be a real community gathering place."

Walsh mentioned soccer, softball, concerts, plays, farmers markets, family reunions and community meetings as potential uses.

A key to advancing the project was a major contribution from the St. Louis Park Hockey Association, which committed $2 million. The association benefits from pulltab gambling proceeds at Bunny's, a popular Excelsior Boulevard bar.

"To have an opportunity for these kids to have something like this in St. Louis Park is special," said Paul Wandmacher, hockey association president.

The hockey association commits major resources to helping make the sport affordable. For $35 a year, a player can rent all needed equipment except skates. No child is turned away for inability to pay, and the association spends about $40,000 a year in assistance for low-income children.

The hockey association registered about 375 skaters this year, Wandmacher said, and the number has been increasing in recent years.

"To us, it's really important that we've got kids of all socio-economic groups participating," said Mayor Jake Spano. "If we want to expand access, the answer is not to build fewer facilities and have less ice — the answer is to have more."

In addition to the hockey association's cash contribution, Spano said, the group's rental payments are expected to cover the facility's annual operating costs.

John Reinan • 612-673-7402