Ice Park owners set June 30 as final skating day
The owners of Charlottesville's beloved but beleaguered ice rink have set Wednesday, June 30 as the final day of operations, as a deal to save the Downtown Mall facility appears not to have yet materialized, and the owners say they can't let hope stand in the way of economic prudence.
"Upsetting but true," says co-owner Roberta Williamson. "Another month of $15,000 electric bills is another month of $15,000 electric bills."
She and fellow owner Bruce Williamson announced in February that due to ongoing operating losses they felt compelled to shut the business and put the building up for sale.
Since then, various businesses and individuals have rallied to try to save the rink, which opened in May, 1996 and was sold to the current team in 2003. Roberta Williamson says ice-saving efforts are ongoing but that no guarantee that any plans will reach fruition dictates the decision and allows hockey leagues and figure skating groups to find alternate venues.
"We need to be fair to them," says Williamson. "We were hanging on a little too sentimentally, I think."
24 comments
Norris better hurry and raise the taxes while their still in business
Why not save part of McIntire Park and buy the building for the YMCA?
nobody cares
HOW ABOUT SOME WEL TO DO LOCAL STEPPING IN AND SAVING THIS THING.IF THEY CAN SAVE A SWIMMING POOL WHY NOT AN ICE RINK (NO IM NOT WELL TO DO)
Anyone smart enough to buy a roller rink would probably build one elsewhere up 29N or something -- the cost of that facility is too expensive, due to being on the Downtown Mall.
Part of why the place likely failed in the first place is lack of easy parking, and that's not going to get any better with it being a roller rink.
Another great idea is to keep my tax dollars away from it. Let it go away, no need for any public money to go toward a study, running, or anything to do with it.
Save a Park - what a GREAT idea! Another option is to turn it into a real Farmer's Market.
Buddy had the sexiest eyes and smile ever. Not surprised he's married, all the good ones are nowdays.
Hi Melissa. I don't know you, but not surprised you went to check out Buddy either. I haven't seen him there in a long time. Maybe he grew too old for the place or something. I wonder what he's up to these days. Any ideas?
mmmmmmmmm tattooed roller derby girls! yes, please!
w: In my opinion (and many others in the previous Ice Park thread), the Downtown Mall has a problem with both.
Regardless, there's many other reasons why the Ice Park is closing. Anyone who has been a patron there for any length of time could run you down quite a list.
roller rink! roller rink! roller rink!
I like the roller rink idea, I think that would be popular enough to survive.
That's a damn shame that he's married now. I remember going to the rink specifically to check him out. Never got the nerve to go flirt with him, but if I could go back in time I def. would!!!!
Who are you maybe I know you...I used to be there all the time
Someone should buy it, make it a roller rink, and save the $15000 a month on electricity.
all the people that make it downtown on friday afternoons seem to be able to manage to either park or walk there
the ice rink just didn't appeal to enough people at that cost to be viable
You're right -- once you factor in the cost to park, it doesn't appeal to enough people to be viable.
having easy parking and having inexpensive parking are not the same concerns
Smash up derby featuring all the spandex traffic clogger uppers.
Armed
What's especially sad is the fact that this rink houses one of the most dominant travel hockey programs in the entire region presently.
I have sons who play for competing teams in the CBHL, and each of them played against all 3 teams Charlottesville had to offer in their respective age divisons. To no surprise of myself and many others in the Central VA/Capital Beltway hockey circle, 3 of their teams made it to the championship game this past season. If I were Richmond's Travel Hockey program, I would be licking my chops to get these BRIHA kids on board, because these kids and their coaches are clearly the class of the CBHL. What a shame to see such a program go away because of ownership troubles.
I remember my friends and I going to the Ice Park as often as we could to flirt with a guy named Buddy who worked there. If nothing else, he was always very easy on the eyes when we went to skate, and was polite to everyone. Point is, He and most everyone else who worked there were always very pleasant people to talk to and deal with, and they always seemed to be in great moods, which was a very contributing factor to us coming back so often and enjoying ourselves. What a shame to lose the rink and the people, like Buddy and others, who worked there. It'll be sad to see the building as anything else.
I know which guy you're talking about GirlinCville, and agree with everything you said, times 2. I'll miss the rink for sure. SOMEONE SAVE IT!!!!
Haha...Well I know Buddy he is my friend! He is happily married now!