The Globe ran an interesting piece over the weekend decrying the loss of public access to what were formerly public ice-skating rinks. For the last 20 years, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has been selling off what at one time were public ice skating rinks. The result is less time for public skating while the rinks are used for a select few.
“Families loved the Max Ulin Ice Rink, a place where they could skate for free, get rental skates for growing feet, and buy a cup of hot chocolate at the snack bar while the Zamboni machine polished the ice. Back in 2009, when the state still ran the rink, records show that managers opened the doors for 40 hours of public skating during December school vacation. 
But today, skate rentals are no longer available, the skate-sharpening machine is gone, and the snack bar is usually closed. There’s still free public skating, but the hours are unpredictable and often inconvenient — just 22 hours during the last December vacation.”
The similarity between the increase of privatization in skating rinks resulting in loss of public access and the increase in state-run charters taking away public dollars is, well, striking. Please read for yourself the entire Globe article.