Burbank Ice Arena to Fund Unified Sports Through New Revenue-Sharing Agreement
In a heartening development for inclusive athletics, the School Committee was the first to hear of a new funding initiative aimed at expanding the town’s adaptive sports programs. Carl McFadden, a representative of the Burbank Ice Arena, shared the news during the public comment portion of this past Thursday’s committee meeting.
McFadden revealed that the Ice Arena has reached a tentative agreement with the town to allocate 50% of its net income—after fulfilling its stabilization fund—toward the unified sports program. This proposal, pending approval by the Select Board and Town Meeting in November, could provide a steady stream of financial support for adaptive sports in Reading for years to come.
This is a huge step forward,” McFadden said. “Reading’s adaptive sports program is unmatched in the Middlesex League, and I’d argue it’s one of the best in Eastern Massachusetts.”
The unified basketball team, which recently celebrated a win against Stoneham, currently includes 40 student-athletes. The program has grown rapidly, with increasing interest from middle and elementary school students. The new funding would help meet this demand by expanding opportunities and resources.
McFadden, a key advocate for the initiative, was praised by superintendent Dr. Milaschewski for his leadership in championing adaptive sports. “This program has grown faster than we ever imagined,” he said. “We’re thrilled to see such strong community support and student interest.”
The Burbank Ice Arena has a long history of giving back, contributing over $3 million to the town over the past 25 years. With 17 years remaining on its lease, the projected contributions to the unified sports program could be substantial.
This is exactly the kind of partnership that strengthens our schools and our community,” said Dr. Milaschewski. “We’re grateful to the Burbank community and everyone involved in making this happen.”
The School Committee will continue to monitor the progress of the agreement and looks forward to formal approval in the coming weeks. They left McFadden with a round of applause.
