Brookline's Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink replacement project moved into active design review Thursday, July 30, with the Design Review Committee presenting warming hut concepts at its second public meeting since beginning design review sessions in June.

The committee met at 6 p.m. to review design concepts for the warming hut, according to the meeting agenda posted on CivicClerk. The session built on work from the committee's first public meeting June 22, when it began gathering community input on the redesign of the rink at Larz Anderson Park.

The project carries an estimated price tag of $7 million, according to the town's October 2025 Request for Qualifications. A feasibility study had pegged the cost between $7 million and $8 million. Funding remains uncertain. As of December 2025, money had not been allocated by Town Meeting or the Select Board, and no public record reviewed for this story confirms that has changed.

The rink has been running on an expensive temporary refrigeration system since 2019, a setup Brookline.News reported in December 2025 that town officials said will not last much longer. The Park and Recreation Commission recommended building a new uncovered outdoor rink earlier in 2025, a decision that followed a deadlocked vote in January 2024 over a programming study and a subsequent consulting hire in February 2024 to weigh options.

Historic preservation has been a central concern throughout the process. Committee member George Cole told Brookline.News in December 2025, when the committee was selecting design firms, that "this site and the park deserves design excellence, not just efficiency."

The committee conducted a site visit at the rink on the morning of Thursday, June 18, and held its first public design meeting via Zoom on Monday, June 22, before Thursday's session reviewing warming hut plans.

All new and renovated architecture must comply with Brookline's Fossil Fuel Free Bylaw and the town's Climate Action Plan, per the project's RFQ.

The project has also drawn renewed public attention after Brookline Interactive Group won two first-place awards at the 2026 Hometown Media Awards for its documentary "Hidden Gem: The Story of Brookline's Kirrane Skating Rink," according to a LinkedIn post from BIG executive director Jessica Smyser.

Select Board member John VanScoyoc flagged the meeting on X as part of his #EveryBrooklineMeeting series on Wednesday, July 29.

The committee's next meeting date has not been posted. Residents can check brooklinema.gov for updates on the design review schedule.