Memorial City ice rink closure delayed as Houston nonprofit plans replacement
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A newly formed nonprofit says it finally has some breathing room to pursue its goal of building a year-round community ice rink for Houston.
Why it matters: After months of pushback from skaters and hockey players, MetroNational is delaying the closure of the ice rink at Memorial City Mall from July 31 to Dec. 14.
- The extension gives the Houston Ice Sports Coalition (HISC) nonprofit more time to line up sponsors, finalize plans and work toward a long-term replacement for the rink that many skaters called home.
Catch up quick: MetroNational announced in April that the Memorial City Ice Rink would close as part of a redevelopment project.
- The announcement sparked a grassroots campaign that collected more than 9,000 petition signatures and led figure skating and ice hockey leaders to form HISC.
- The coalition had been pushing for at least a one-year extension, arguing it needed time to secure funding, find land and develop plans for a replacement rink, one of the coalition leaders, Charlotte Nall, tells Axios. "We need time to keep our skating community," she says.
What they're saying: "The response from our community made it clear how much this rink means to Houston families," MetroNational president Scooter Hicks said in a statement.
- Amy Good, president of HISC, said in a statement that the closure united the community to "look forward," creating "an opportunity to create something stable and sustainable" for future Houston skaters.
State of the rinks: Coalition leaders say Houston has long lacked enough ice to support its growing hockey and figure skating communities, especially as the National Hockey League is considering expanding in Houston.
- The Houston area has fewer than a half-dozen year-round sheets of ice, and not all are regulation size for competition. By comparison, the Dallas area has more than 20.
Threat level: The shortage has forced hockey and figure skating programs to compete for limited ice time, pushing elite skaters and coaches to cities with more facilities.
- "You can't train for a sport if you don't have a place to play the sport," figure skater and coalition leader Annabelle Helin tells Axios.
Zoom in: For many skaters, the rink is more than a place to practice.
- "It's my home," Helin, a medical student and competitive figure skater, tells Axios. She credits the rink with helping her develop the resilience and leadership skills that helped her get into medical school. "If I didn't have figure skating, I wouldn't be in medical school right now."
- Nall said her family moved closer to Memorial so her daughter could skate and train daily with her friends and community.
What we're watching: Coalition leaders told Axios before the announcement that even a temporary extension would give them valuable time to move their long-term plans forward.
- "Our goal within the next year is to have sponsors and a real plan put together to give to the community," Helin says.