Ice sports shafted by Cardiff Council…again
- Thread starter Jones72
- Start date
Curling was the intention when the rink opened but they neglected to factor the thousands of pounds the stones cost into the budget I believe so it got quietly shelved. How easy is changing the surface from skating to curling and back? It needs a stippled ice surface doesnt it? I assume its not to time consuming as some of the Scottish rinks have curling lanes marked on their main rinks
I used to put on games nights at the WNIR that included tug of war, one on one ice style of sumo using the centre circle and a rope hoop, obstacle courses and for those of an age an ice skating version of Mike Reids "Runaround" which was educational and fun. Used to always be busy and all skaters good or bad used to participate.
For those who don't know Runaround
For those who don't know Runaround
I have heard that Cardiff Council have not followed the appropriate protocols in determining their “decision“. Appropriate notices of the meeting to discus all proposals were not published and given the standard procedures laid down in Council guidelines, it is unclear how binding this decision will be - it may still turn out to be a stay of execution, but it may also be the view that a voice in the Council is more a fan of climbing walls than ice sports.
if the appropriate meeting is reconvened and the correct process followed, then the Community of ice sports users will need to ensure their collective voice is heard. Worst case scenario would be for pad 2 to be converted to a climbing facility but not to the extent that pad 2 could not revert back to a second ice sports pad facility, when the costs of maintenance are back/closer to pre-Covid levels. Pad 2 was regularly used, it is as Swarley suggests - selective memory at its finest, that pad 2 was not Used consistently for some years - NEWSFLASH 2020 There was a worldwide Covid pandemic which forced the rink to be closed. WAG would only allow the pad to reopen on a reduced basis in 2021/2022. Feb 2022, Russia invades Ukraine resulting in Energy prices hike.
There are plenty of ice user people wanting to use the second pad - the demand is there, but the current costs of running the plant to operate the two Ice pads, mean it is financially unsustainable at current energy prices for rink operators to out ice down on pad 2. It will be a damning blight on those who fought relentlessly to get the two pad facility if the Council are allowed to force through an unpopular viewpoint and ride roughshod over the ice sports users in South Wales - especially when the Council can’t be bothered to follow their own processes and procedures.
if the appropriate meeting is reconvened and the correct process followed, then the Community of ice sports users will need to ensure their collective voice is heard. Worst case scenario would be for pad 2 to be converted to a climbing facility but not to the extent that pad 2 could not revert back to a second ice sports pad facility, when the costs of maintenance are back/closer to pre-Covid levels. Pad 2 was regularly used, it is as Swarley suggests - selective memory at its finest, that pad 2 was not Used consistently for some years - NEWSFLASH 2020 There was a worldwide Covid pandemic which forced the rink to be closed. WAG would only allow the pad to reopen on a reduced basis in 2021/2022. Feb 2022, Russia invades Ukraine resulting in Energy prices hike.
There are plenty of ice user people wanting to use the second pad - the demand is there, but the current costs of running the plant to operate the two Ice pads, mean it is financially unsustainable at current energy prices for rink operators to out ice down on pad 2. It will be a damning blight on those who fought relentlessly to get the two pad facility if the Council are allowed to force through an unpopular viewpoint and ride roughshod over the ice sports users in South Wales - especially when the Council can’t be bothered to follow their own processes and procedures.
The second ice pad has been empty for years due to the pandemic, and stupid energy prices unforeseen and unusual circumstances. We say it’s losing money, so has it lost money since the opening, that’s one thing, or has it lost money the last few years,how much does it cost weekly, monthly to operate. How heavy is its closure having on ice users,is there a way of keeping it as it is. People say it was always busy Pre pandemic, so what has changed. Some say well Dundee, Fife, Coventry operate with one pad, but bloody hell this is a Capital City, it’s Ice Arena Wales, not Ice Arena Cardiff. This Arena was only built due to all ice users fighting for it together, it would never have got off the ground as just a home for the Devils, and that’s fact, can’t people get together to try to resolve this, surely that’s the first thing that should be considered. As I keep spouting about till I am blue in the face, where’s the bloody signage, IAW on the Building don’t mean Jack shirt to most people, it could be a bloody factory, no roadside signage about a ice rink thousands of cars daily pass our home, and this is fact thousands of people in Cardiff and the Vale don’t even know Cardiff has a ice rink, we are like a back street garage to a huge amount of local resident. It’s so ridicules, Devils games are rammed with people, and long may that continue,but it’s now time to concentrate on getting the 2nd pad financially viable, remember the saying you only appreciate what you have when you no longer have it. Rant over.
I would hazard a guess that the council are fully aware of the issues regarding raising public awareness and access to the rink that have been raised.
However, it is not in their interest to address these issues as they would like nothing better than for the rink to fail so they can say “I told you so“ and close it citing it being uneconomic and under used!
However, it is not in their interest to address these issues as they would like nothing better than for the rink to fail so they can say “I told you so“ and close it citing it being uneconomic and under used!