Belarus builds secret ice arenas
The European Radio for Belarus tried to investigate this secret ice arena. However, Natalya Zykova, a chief specialist at the physical culture and sports department at the Minsk District Executive Committee, has no idea of this sports object.
Natalya Zykova: "I don't know where you have got this information from. We did go to Ozerny, but there were no plans to build an ice arena there. It was planned to build a hotel complex, offering various services, including sports and recreation. I can't say anything about an ice arena in Ozerny".
This topic was raised by LiveJournal user kauboj. He found the photographs and a copy of the documents at the forum of the sports newspaper Pressball. Kauboj wrote he was sure that the arena belonged to the president.
Kauboj: "Since the construction was commissioned by the office of the president, I am insisting that this ring belongs to the president".
The European Radio for Belarus reached Victor Kirilyuk, the director of Honko Co. which was contracted to build the arena. Kirilyuk confirmed that an ice ring was indeed constructed in Ozerny. It was ordered by the president's hockey team.
Victor Kirilyuk: "Yes, yes. We are also finishing up another arena in Raubichy. It is based on a state-of-the-art Canadian technology. There is nothing like that in the world. Only one copmany in Canada makes such buildings. The people who play at the president's ice hokecy team have traveled around the world and could see these technologies".
http://www.honco.ru/n-5_3.shtml
http://www.honco.ru/n-5_4.shtml
However, Department for Capital Construction at the Office of the President, which ordered the project, insisted to the European Radio for Belarus that they did not build any ice ring in Ozerny. When we told them that we have a copy of the contract with Honko Co., they gave up, admitting that they might have constructed it.
Official: I don't know what you are talking about. This is not our object.
ERB: Don't you know if an ice arena has been built or not?..
Official: How do you imagine me knowing what has been constructed?
ERB: I have a document which says that the office of the president is linked with the construction of this arena.
Official: Rumors.
ERB: No. The document is signed by Panasyuk V.I.
Official: Do you have it?... Well, we might have built it, but I didn't see it.
ERB: Who from your deprtament can tell me about it?
Official: I think that nobody.
Victor Kirilyuk also did not tell us who this arena was designed for, but promised to arrange for a private skating experience.
ERB: Can ordinary folks come there to skate?
Kirilyuk: Mmm... Do you really like skating?
ERB: Yes.
Kirilyuk: You come and I will arrange for you.
He says that the ring is as twice as cheaper than other similar objects. Therefore, Belarus plans to build several more arenas of this kind. We can only hope that ordinary people will be able to get there without a private arrangement with the builders.
Фото: http://www.honco.ru
