Funding set aside, and sites in negotation, for new ice rink in Plymouth
FUNDING has been set aside for a new ice rink in Plymouth and a number of sites are being considered, Plymouth City Council said today.
The city's current ice rink at Plymouth Pavilions will go, along with the swimming pool, when the leisure facilities at the site close next autumn, 2011.
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The pool will be replaced with one at the Life Centre in Central Park, but the site is not large enough to house a full-size ice rink.
Plans to include a rink at the site were mooted when the project began, but were later abandoned.
A spokesman for the council said today: "We are committed to providing a new ice facility in the city and have set aside funding for its development as part of the Plymouth Life Centre project.
"The plan has always been to close the leisure pool and ice rink at Plymouth Pavilions when the Plymouth Life Centre opens in late Autumn 2011.
"The leisure pool will be replaced with much better facilities at the Plymouth Life Centre but an ice facility is not included because the site cannot accommodate a full-size rink.
"Officers have been investigating possible locations in the city and are in positive discussions with a number of potential developers and operators who are interested in the project.
"As these discussions are commercially confidential, we are not able to publicise our plans – or a definite timescale – until there is greater clarity on what the next steps will be.
"We are working to progress this as quickly as possible to minimise any potential gap in provision between closure of the ice rink at the Pavilions and the provision of a new facility."
The leisure facilities at Plymouth Pavilions are being demolished as part of a £300million redesign of the city centre, but the arena facilities will remain up and running.
The Life Centre is a £47million sports and leisure complex in Central Park.
8 Comments
by ian s, Plymouth
Sunday, July 25 2010, 11:32AM
“@Johnno - the ice rink already exists at the Pavillions part of the deal when the Council decided to pull it down was that it would be replaced so nothing really to do with old peoples homes is it? Many people use the ice rink it is not right to knock the existing one down without replacing it somewhere else. I agree closure of care homes is a disgrace, might need one myself one day, but doesn`t have anything to do with this story.”
by johnno, pennycomequick
Saturday, July 24 2010, 1:51PM
“I read one day , we are closing old peoples home through lack of cash , now I read we have put money aside for a ice rink , talk about getting your priorities right”
by Ali, Plympton
Friday, July 23 2010, 11:09PM
“Basically PCC don't care. They don't care about the gap left when they demolished Seaton Pool, they don't care about the gap left when the Pavilions is demolished, they don't care about the lack of a pool in Plymstock & they don't care about ice skating. Empty promises, don't believe them, they lie. From a disillusioned tax payer.”
by Lee, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 9:18PM
“Please don't make me laugh.....they, the Council, put out the same same PR spin for replacing Seaton pool....if you believe in fairys then sometime many years away a ice rink might materialise when hell freezes over?”
by sally, plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 8:56PM
“they have money set aside for an ice rink but they cant do the free swimming for the under 16 or the over 60 anymore”
by Christine McGowan, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 4:57PM
“As Treasurer of Plymouth Pavilions Figure Skating Club we welcome the council's committment to provide a new Ice Facility in Plymouth. We would like assurances that the Pavilions rink remain open until th e new one is built and would appreciate an open and honest dailogue with the council on the matter. This is an exciting opportunity to provide a first class facility as the nearest other rink is in Bristol.”
by Sceptic, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 11:04AM
“Funny I can see a load of fat pink things with curly tails flying past my window. Money set aside yeah right. Also as the life centre is only 50m in length how the hell are they gonna fit a 50m swimming pool inside”
by fuzzy, Plymouth
Friday, July 23 2010, 10:51AM
“It would be great if the Pavillions were bulldozed all together. It could be replaced by PCC purchasing the Palace theatre in Union Street, by retaining the front of the existing building and extending it to make it a concert venue to be proud of and with the right acoustics.
As for the ice rink, a seperate site should be chosen perhaps near to the Hoe, not only should it contain an ice rink but an indoor snow dome which contains real snow for skiing and other winter sports, again we could be the envy of the Westcountry with our sport and recreational facilities.”