Mark Messier Endorses National Ice Center for the Bronx (9 Rinks)
Ice Center With 9 Rinks Is Proposed for Bronx Armory
The long-empty Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx would be converted into a national ice center with nine ice rinks and extensive youth hockey and skating programs under a proposal that a group of Bronx elected officials and labor leaders endorsed on Thursday.
Led by the borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr., the group rallied behind the ice center, which they estimated would cost $275 million. They called it the best of six proposals that had been submitted to the city for the redevelopment of the armory, a cavernous fortress that looms over a borough troubled by poverty and unemployment.
Mr. Diaz said a crucial reason for his support for the ice center was that the developer had voluntarily pledged that every job created by the project would pay at least $10 an hour with benefits, or $11.50 an hour without benefits, in line with wage standards set by the city’s recently passed “living wage“ legislation. The development group estimated the center would create about 200 permanent and 1,800 temporary construction positions.
“This development will allow our borough to realize the potential of the Kingsbridge Armory and to do so in a way that will offer the people of the Bronx a chance to earn a decent living,” Mr. Diaz said at a news conference in front of the armory, flanked by Mark Messier, the former New York Rangers star, and the Olympic gold-medal figure skater Sarah Hughes, who are members of the development group making the ice center proposal.
excessive? pssh. Every burrough should have one of these ice centers.
^^THIS multiplied by 1,000,000! To think there could have been little leagues that endorses hockey like schools do with basketball, soccer, and baseball.
awesome! my girlfriend lives real close to this and we've always hated having to travel to go ice skating. something like this will really build the game up in the city, im excited for it
excessive? pssh. Every burrough should have one of these ice centers.
Absolutely!
I always though the NHL should require each team to invest in a local center like this supporting schools and youth programs. Imagine the growth of player development, player pools, fans of the sport, etc.
The facility could be dual purposed for practice and competitive events. Imagine a H.S. kid playing in the same arena that his local NHL team practices in.
The most dedicated fans are those who play, have played, or watch their kids play the sport!
20-30 years after Gretzky went to LA, we saw kids being drafted from SoCal. 20-30 years after a facility like this, could have the same effect.
we have a TOTAL of either 9 or 10 rinks...im not sure what they have at the Kennesaw Ice Forum...its either 1 or 2 sheets.
Duluth Ice Forum: 2 sheets
Ice Complex: 1 Sheet
Cooler: 2 Sheets
MIC: 1 Sheet (laughably...its usually a swimming pool with air conditioning)
Kennesaw Ice Forum: 1 or 2 sheets would be my guess...way too far for me to play there.
The is for the entire city, and all surrounding suburbs. We're talking about a HUGE area. i currently live in a fairly central location to these rinks....im guessing kennesaw would take about 45 mins to an hour to get to...the ICE takes about the same....Duluth takes about 30 mins, MIC about 30, Cooler about 35.
and this is highway driving w/o any traffic.
you guys have no clue how lucky you guys are.
but, i think hockey is cheaper here to play than there...i pay 350 for 20 games in my competitive league....235 for 12 in REC.
Was thinking about this today and I really hope it comes to fruition. It would be so awesome. Growing up I had to go to Westchester for all of my travel hockey, would've been great to have had a rink 10 minutes from my house. There are tons of Bronx highschool teams in the area that have to go to Westchester for practice several times a week. Also for games. This facility would be one mile from my school, that would be sick if we only had to drive 5 minutes for practice.
Also, a facility like this would certainly be able to host big tournaments. That would bring money into the area for sure. One article said the proposed main rink would have 5,000 seats. Maybe they could get a minor league team in the area? Maybe this could entice Fordham University to get an actual collegiate team (D3/D1) instead of just a club team? Very excited about the possibilities of this.
Would love to see the game grow in my area. I know in Riverbank state park they have a state subsidized program that only requires the kids to pay $200 for a full season. I'm sure they could get something like that out of this facility.
Last edited by Ih8theislanders: 08-24-2012 at 03:09 PM.
are there really too many high schools in the bronx with hockey teams though? i would think most of them are the private schools, and most of those kids live in westchester anyway
it would be great to see fordham potentially with a team in the next few years
are there really too many high schools in the bronx with hockey teams though? i would think most of them are the private schools, and most of those kids live in westchester anyway
it would be great to see fordham potentially with a team in the next few years
Off the top of my head: Fordham Prep, Mt. St Michael, St. Raymonds, Spellman. Ok maybe not that many
are there really too many high schools in the bronx with hockey teams though? i would think most of them are the private schools, and most of those kids live in westchester anyway
it would be great to see fordham potentially with a team in the next few years
Fordham? Why? So they can raise tuition even more? Lol.
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Nine rinks? What for? Why would u need 9 rinks in the Bronx? Two would be more than enough nice idea to get inner city kids on the ice but they are still inner city kids they don't have the money to support a nine rink complex.
Pretty crazy if u ask me. Build some football fields basketball courts maybe a baseball diamond and a couple rinks but 9 hockey rinks? Craziness
Nine rinks? What for? Why would u need 9 rinks in the Bronx? Two would be more than enough nice idea to get inner city kids on the ice but they are still inner city kids they don't have the money to support a nine rink complex.
Pretty crazy if u ask me. Build some football fields basketball courts maybe a baseball diamond and a couple rinks but 9 hockey rinks? Craziness
whats it matter? 9 rinks will be great for the game in this area. there are a total of zero ice rinks in the bronx. zero. think about that again. zero.
if this gets hockey exposed to more people then its great. the more people on the ice the better, and now people will finally get a chance to play in the bronx
Has anyone been to this area? Poorest Congressional district in the nation
If this goes thru, the management better set up some serious security. The neighborhood kids are just waiting to break into all of the Westchester and Manahttan cars that park in front of this arena. I work in this 'hood and make sure I am off the streets early in the morning before the crackheads and gangsters wake up. I'm all for ice rinks, but I wouldn't take my kids there. At least not until security was beefed up significantly.
