When SUSO Skate Co. vacates the former Cambridge Centre mall ice rink, another fun activity could be taking its place.
MHBC, an urban planning company, has submitted a Minor Zoning By-law Amendment application to the City of Cambridge for the use of the mall’s ice rink floor to be converted to an electric go-kart facility.
It was submitted on behalf of Morguard, the company that owns the mall.
According to the application, the city has determined in pre-consultation discussions that the proposed use of the facility is considered to be for “commercial-recreational establishment use.” The amendment being requested would add go-karting to the list of permitted uses in the mall’s site-specific zone.
At the pre-consultation meeting with city staff on April 13, two options were initially discussed.
The first would be to add “commercial-recreational establishment” as a permitted use for the space. Commercial-recreational establishments are any establishments that are operated for profit or gain by providing facilities for public recreation or amusement.
The second was to expand the list of permitted uses under “a Place of Amusement” by adding go-karting. The current list includes an amusement arcade, a bowling alley, a pool or billiards hall, a bingo hall, a dance hall, a mini golf course and a theatre of cinema.
It was eventually decided to amend the zoning bylaw in option one.
No changes or amendments would need to be made in regards to parking provisions, vehicular accessor or gross floor area as the course would be set up within the existing space in the mall.
A site plan is also not required as no structural changes would be needed to the building.
The application continues to say that the proposed use of the space will “include social inclusion of youth while also supporting increased ridership of the regional public transit service and increased use of active transportation systems.”
