Pupils taking to the stage to save rink

PUPILS at a Grimsby school have started their own mini-campaign to push for the town to retain an ice rink.

Year-five children at Great Coates Primary School on Crosland Road performed an assembly to the rest of their school, titled Save Our Ice Rink.

As reported, a campaign has been launched to retain the facility in the area, after North East Lincolnshire Council announced proposals to completely revamp the area's leisure facilities.

Included in the plans is a proposal to shut Grimsby Leisure Centre – home of the ice rink – with no option of keeping the rink open.

The council said this would nOt happen for at least five years and is committed to finding backing which could see a new rink built.

Until this happens, however, a campaign to retain a facility remains in full flow, with Great Coates students now adding their names to the thousands who have signed petitions against the rink's possible closure.

The main petition – with thousands of signatures – can be found online at www.this isgrimsby.co.uk/icerinkpetition and will be presented to the council ahead of the meeting of the Environment, Culture and Tourism Scrutiny Committee on July 28.

Pupils Courtney Page, Sian Dale, and Shanna Major, all nine, and Chloe Devaney and Alex Fitzpatrick, both 10, started their own campaign.

They were helped by teaching assistants Kirsten Murray and Jane Stocks, and 10 more students who gave the presentation.

The assembly featured banners, video clip interviews, poetry, prayers and their own song.

They also made posters of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Great British ice dancers who won a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympic Games.

The children said that if the ice rink was to be demolished and not replaced, then any budding Torvill or Deans from Grimsby would not be able to realise their potential.

Alex said: "We are all devastated the ice rink could close.

"It is a big part of the community, so we wanted to try and help keep it."

Courtney said: "Lots of people go to the ice rink."

Chloe added: "Some people don't know that we have an ice rink.

"We wanted to show them we do and how good it is."

Also in attendance at the assembly were Freshney ward councillors Cliff Barber (Lib) and Peggy Elliott (Lab).

Coun Elliot said: "This school is always at the forefront of community life and I think these children taking on the fight is absolutely fantastic."

Coun Barber added: "Myself and the other ward councillors are fully backing the campaign to have an ice rink in this town.

"The council says it's not looking to get rid of it for at least five years, so hopefully in that time we will get another ice rink."

Keeley Holland is on the committee driving the main campaign to keep an ice rink in the area.

She said: "It was a pleasure to represent the committee at this special assembly.

"The children showed they care and I thought what they said about keeping an ice rink was fantastic."

Sign the petition

Visit www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/icerinkpetition

'Keep rink where it belongs' – see Viewpoint on page 16.