Leeds Rink at Planning Stage

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An admission, I’m not very graceful so you’ll not see me gliding across the ice any time soon. However as a child of the 70’s I grew up loving Ice Skating from early love of Noel Streatfield’s White Boots, to imagining the joy of having the legs of Jane Torville. So I applaud the notion of bringing a permanent ice rink to Leeds. What do you think? Good location? What follows is a cut and paste job, but do let us know your thoughts in the comments box below

The Ice Rink Company Limited have agreed terms with Silver Blades & Leeds City Council to deliver an ice rink for Leeds at the Elland Road Regeneration Site. The scheme will include an ice pad, 1,000 + seats, a cafe and car parking and The Ice Rink Company will be submitting a detailed report to grant planning permission within the next three months.

The Leeds rink, will be the latest rink to be built by The Ice rink Company for Silver blades. They have previously built rinks in Altrincham, Cannock, and Gillingham and a fourth in Widnes opening towards late September or early October 2012.

The new facility, developed in partnership with Leeds City Council will have public skating every day, plus Learn to Skate courses for children and adults that are endorsed by The National Ice Skating Association under the SKATE UK initiative, professional Ice Hockey, a planned Speed Skating club, special sessions for Parent and Toddler during weekdays, planned sessions specifically targeted for young people after school too.

As rink developer’s, The Ice Rink Company MD Mark Johnson commented “I am very excited to be bringing an ice rink to the City. There is tremendous interest in Leeds and we hope to repeat our successes from the other major UK cities with this development. The Ice Rink Company is very keen to provide a facility the local community in Leeds can be proud of. That facility has to recognize the needs of the local community and match it with set of services that are recreational, beneficial, and affordable’.

Silver Blades, as the operator of the rink, have stated they understand the need to facilitate not just the able bodied skater, but also the physically impaired. Vernon Neil, Silver Blades Operations Manager, commented further ‘Silver Blades success is about working with Leeds City Council, The Ice Rink Company Development Team, and the local community, to create a provision they can be proud of. We have a 100% School Attendance Scheme that recognizes young people’s attendance and rewards them with free skating that is very successful with our other rinks, and Parent and Toddler weekdays for children from 18 months, great value Birthday Party packages, and reduced prices for families – The plan is to get as many people skating as possible and to get them excited about Ice skating again. We are one of only a few companies recognized by The National Ice Skating Association for the quality of our coaching and teaching and that is why we are endorsed as SKATE UK approved center’s’.

www.silver-blades.co.uk.

17 comments

  1. Always good to see new developments, hopefully it will be a quality building. I’d have prefered to see it a bit closer to the centre of Leeds though

  2. I don’t care for ice skating but would be interested to hear if anyone would consider going to this. To me it seems to be one of those things that’s great if you’re good at it but terrible if you suck.

    I agree with the poster above too, a bit nearer the city centre would have been nice. What’s the transport like going out that way? I presume other parts of the regeneration will offer more to do in the area.

    It’s also good to see something new and something for the kids in the city. I suppose the new casino is still going ahead? Now that’s something we don’t need.

  3. Interesting piece and a topic always good to have a debate on it. Wasn’t planning permission granted in 2009 for this? Where’s the cut and paste job from?

  4. Speaking as someone who visits Bradford ice rink on average 4 times a week with a very keen daughter and also skate myself I know the facility well. My wife is on the comittee and we support the club. Apparently Bill Bryson called it “the world’s most appalling indoor ice rink” And sadly I think he’s probably right. Yet it still continues. If you are growing up in Bradford (say 17 years old) where else can you go? Certainly where else can you hang out with mates inside and EXERCISE? Kids love it and it is an invaluable resource.
    Someone above (who’s probably never been I’ve skating) says you have to be good at it to enjoy it. Nothing could be further from the truth and the amount of fun and fulfillment gained through the act of learning something new has become the well known TV format “dancing on ice” celebs learning to skate (and intact learning to learn).
    An ice skating rink in Leeds would be a great success and offer a much needed facility to all.

  5. Its about time another large city gets an ice rink if approved and funded. Keep the prices reasonable and offer discounts like ice Sheffield too. Loads of fun for all ages to keep them fit and activity and away from the TV and PC. As people are missing out if there’s no ice to slide about on nearby.

    Free parking or very cheap.

    Design the the rink so there is room for expansion, for a twin pad for with arena seating for a top ice hockey club. As there far more sports than football in this country. No fake diving or slaps in the face. Fill the roof full of PV panels to helpo with the power source. Setup a ice hockey club and skating club and before that get it built ASAP before this country gets more inactive.

    1. totally agree with you there as im 14 and literally have nothing to do i love to ice skate and leeds is close bye just a small drive away and my mum will take me all the time be good if prices are cheap and it a full roof so dosnt get raint on or destroyed

  6. Fantastic news and agree with last post, great fun exercise and Bradford dated now. Timescales anyone? When will they start??

  7. i hope they actually do build an indoor ice skating rink in leeds this year or when ever they do it will get alot of people off the streets and i know i will be getting some new skates when it opens comment if you know when they are building it <3

  8. so if you know the actual date of the building and when it should be finished comment and ill check up on it 🙂 ill be there every weekend <3 and is it going to be an ice hockey arena like barnsley or a fun like doncaster i hope it a ice hockey as i wanna start ice hockey 🙂

  9. A rink in Leeds would be brilliant for our young people. A new hobby,activity or just a great family day out. Yes please.

  10. As a young teen in the 60’s I remember having a wonderful time at the Silver Blades Ice rink in Leeds. Where did the old one go?

    Im glad to hear that a new rink is being persued.

  11. I spent just about every spare waking minute on the Ice at Kirkstall Silver Blades, we had a good Speed Skating team and I was at my peak of fitness during my Skating years, of course Silver Blades always said the Kirkstall Road rink was a Test to see if Ice Skating was popular and they said they’d replace it with a Modern Facility if it took off. As a result we got the Bradford Ice Rink, I’ve no idea why, but it seemed like a dump from the day it opened, the last time I went back (early 1980s) it was awful, let’s hope the new Leeds facility is more attractive, if/when its ever built!

    Ice Skating, is both confidence and fitness building, all it takes is a desire to float across Ice as if in flight, if you get it right it’s such a fantastic feeling that lasts for life (well at least 47 years) to date 🙂

  12. I’m a guy in my forties but go to Bradford regularly. Skating is great low impact exercise improving balance and co-ordination and would definitely be supporting one in Leeds.. It would be better for the environment too as I wouldn’t use much petrol 🙂

  13. I’m happy to hear this as I am a figure skater and have been for 8 years and I am looking at studying in leeds so i’m happy to find out that I can continue my sport there!!!

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