Group Continues to Fight for Igloo

As city and county officials move forward on efforts to raze the Civic Arena and get the site ready for redevelopment, a group of residents are still waiting for their day in court. Rob Pfaffmann is the chair of the group known as the “Reuse The Igloo Campaign.” His group would like to save the nearly 50-year-old structure and turn it into a retail, restaurant, and entertainment venue with a community ice rink as a centerpiece. The group has a Facebook page with 38-hundred “members” Pfaffmann says those members are ready to come out to Penguins games and protest if needed. Pfaffmann says the Sports and Exhibition Authority must prove there is no other viable option for the structure before it can be demolished. The group has presented a paper where it outlines the possible reuse of the structure. Pfaffman says, “We’ve made that plan. We’re not sure anybody really looks at it.” He thinks people need to take the time to read the plan. “What I’ve found in the past is when you sit down with people and explain the idea they begin to understand there is an opportunity. But people have sort of set their positions so you have to work them back from that position,” says Pfaffmann. The group has not lined up any investors or developers to transform and operate the arena but Pfaffmann says that is not needed at this stage. He notes the Penguins have not yet named a developer for their plan. Pfaffmann says, “Lets make this an apples to apples comparison.”