IAW Capacity Increase …

[lloyd_jeff]

Don’t think the Council own the rink, spend money at bar etc your money goes to Greenbank.

Cardiff Council own the IAW, they held interviews 6 months ago for a General Manager. The council are currently seeking operators for the rink and carrying out feasibility studies on the continuing current use & potentially change of use should no operator be found or financially no longer feasible.

https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/property/Leasehold-Opportunity-for-Ice-Arena-(Wales)/8290

 

[Wannabe2]

IAW was only built to cater for all Ice users in Wales, the second pad was for public skaters,figure skaters, junior teams all ages,ladies teams, theHuskies Sledgeteam, and initially Curling, and without all these supporters it would never have got off the ground. The Council didn’t really give a toss whether the Devils had a new home, or if they never and that’s the truth, and Greenbank had to fork out the £17 million to build it, which they had to do to get the housings/ flats contract, at that time we were getting attendances of around 1,200, and to get a home with 2,000 extra seats , and two ice pads,was incredible and a gods send. Players were disappearing thru the floor in the shower room at the Big Blue Tent,and some were even found washed up in Penarth. So ex amount of years down the road it ain’t perfect, but we kept our team and club, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Our home is in the top 4 in the country, after spending 10 yrs in a shit hole, yes we loved that dump, but by god was it a dump.

 

[lloyd_jeff]

At least the issues should get resolved when they complete the ISV they recently announced, a new leaseholder will have more enthusiasm & motivation as it’ll be their cash there risking.

 

[lloyd_jeff]

Do the council own IAW now though? With the squeeze on public finances, cost of living crisis, increased energy costs, the economy in turmoil, who do we expect to pay for this proposed expansion?

The new leaseholder could potentially look at expansion plans, although nothing in the recent ISV expansion showed any. If a Leasehold can’t be found, then the IAW maybe repurposed as the Council stated in a confidential report that it didn't have the funds to support it. The recent ISV project showed an image of an indoor karting facility similar to the one in Bristol. There is no mention of location within the plans. Hopefully that’s not the future of the IAW.

https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/property/Leasehold-Opportunity-for-Ice-Arena-(Wales)/8290

 

[Earnie]

The IAW logo on the ice rink has been removed some months ago. I thought in preparation for a new Devils related sign?

 

[august04 2.0]

The new leaseholder could potentially look at expansion plans, although nothing in the recent ISV expansion showed any. If a Leasehold can’t be found, then the IAW maybe repurposed as the Council stated in a confidential report that it didn't have the funds to support it. The recent ISV project showed an image of an indoor karting facility similar to the one in Bristol. There is no mention of location within the plans. Hopefully that’s not the future of the IAW.

https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/property/Leasehold-Opportunity-for-Ice-Arena-(Wales)/8290 View attachment 2021

The lease document says that any lease holder will be responsible for internal repairs only, in broad terms - and I can’t see the facility owners (the council), spending millions on building alterations/expansion.

 

[RedDevil17]

The IAW logo on the ice rink has been removed some months ago. I thought in preparation for a new Devils related sign?

Just looks like a spaceship currently with zero indication that it’s an ice rink

 

[Hodor]

I was wondering if the 2nd pad, whilst it has no ice, is suitable for roller derby or roller skating in general? Might be a bit niche, though.

 

[dave]

I was wondering if the 2nd pad, whilst it has no ice, is suitable for roller derby or roller skating in general? Might be a bit niche, though.

It is already being used for roller derby and they will be using again. There is weekly roller skating and now rolling skating clubs and sessions. We have played Ball hockey there a few times plus Unicycle hockey is there every week. There has even been a model railway convention on pad 2!! It is £50 & VAT to hire for an hour

 

[pjj365]

It is already being used for roller derby and they will be using again. There is weekly roller skating and now rolling skating clubs and sessions. We have played Ball hockey there a few times plus Unicycle hockey is there every week. There has even been a model railway convention on pad 2!! It is £50 & VAT to hire for an hour

This makes sense and surely makes the proposition to take it on more attractive. Sure we lose some ice time for other than Devils activity but if that is what's needed for survival so be it

 

[moggy#9]

I wonder if they'll put ice down on pad 2 over the continental cup weekend. If imagine that all of the teams would want some training time.

 

[Earnie]

There are numerous people I know in Cardiff that have no idea where the ice rink is.

 

[BostonBart22]

I wonder if they'll put ice down on pad 2 over the continental cup weekend. If imagine that all of the teams would want some training time.

Good call..

 

[Gingers Husband]

In one of the meetings with the council & planet ice, I suggested that should the 2nd pad not be viable for ice at any time, maybe someone would be interested in putting a skatepark/BMX course in there. There are plenty around Cardiff and the Vale but of course, they are all outside. Matthew Pritchard is a keen skateboarder and a friend of Alex Symonds. Maybe he could get someone interested?

 

[Geth21]

In one of the meetings with the council & planet ice, I suggested that should the 2nd pad not be viable for ice at any time, maybe someone would be interested in putting a skatepark/BMX course in there. There are plenty around Cardiff and the Vale but of course, they are all outside. Matthew Pritchard is a keen skateboarder and a friend of Alex Symonds. Maybe he could get someone interested?

There are two indoor skateparks in Cardiff. You've got rampworld in llanishen and spit and sawdust on Newport road

 

[Armchair Coach]

The management of the rink appears to be oblivious the the large numbers of adult players that were previously interested in playing ice hockey, but due to the rink not operating pad 2, have lost the opportunity to train at “reasonable” times.

There used to be a healthy Adult Learn To Play Ice Hockey Programme which was being run by one of the coaches pre covid and there were regularly good numbers of adults and beginners attending the sessions that were being run.

I think the Fire then got involved and offered something similar as well as a session when Fire Players would help players learn whilst taking part in a scrimmage. I don’t know if the coach that ran the Adult Learn To Play sessions is still around - I don’t get down the rink as often as I did previously

Then Covid hit and the rink decided not to operate pad 2. They may have their reasons, but given that to help maintain interest in the sport, one might reasonably think that taking whatever steps are needed to maintain adult interest in the game would be a bl**dy good starting point. What’s the point in have expensive assets if they aren’t going to be used?

 

[Earnie]

Use all the facilities to the max is an obvious way to keep the place busy. If not then please explain why not.

 

[MA18]

Use all the facilities to the max is an obvious way to keep the place busy. If not then please explain why not.

Maybe because when they did it wasn’t really busy, they’ve got the calculator out and the sums don’t work especially with increases in energy costs.
They should push it for other non ice based events for sure.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

Maybe because when they did it wasn’t really busy, they’ve got the calculator out and the sums don’t work especially with increases in energy costs.
They should push it for other non ice based events for sure.

I would imagine the rink is paying eye watering energy bills. Maybe its not economical to run 2 pads unless both pads are fully booked right around the clock.

 

[moggy#9]

I'd have thought that if there's no ice down on pad 2 the obvious thing would be to encourage inline and ball hockey. It is at least related to ice hockey.