Skaters plea to keep town's ice rink

SAVE our ice rink!

That is the cry of users of the threatened facility at Grimsby Leisure Centre, which could close under multi-million pound council proposals to revamp leisure facilities across the borough.

Fierce opposition to North East Lincolnshire Council's proposed closure of the ice rink has already built up, with campaigners launching a Facebook petition in an attempt to see it saved.

As reported, under the new plans, Grimsby Leisure Centre, on Cromwell Road, will be axed in favour of a new facility which will be built elsewhere in the town.

However, there are no plans to include an ice rink at the new centre, meaning hundreds of skating fans will be forced to travel to Hull to continue taking part in the sport.

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Ellie Turner (11), from Grimsby Ice Skating Academy, in action on the ice.

As well as being open to the public, the rink – which has been open since the 1970s – is home to a number of clubs.

These include:

120 registered players of the Grimsby Ice Hockey Club, known as the Redwings, who have teams at under-12, under-14, under-16, under-18 and senior level.

28 members of the Grimsby Lightning Ice Hockey Club.

Figure skaters, who form part of the Grimsby Ice Skating Club, with around 130 children and adults gathering at sessions on a Sunday.

Various other groups including parents and tots, sledge hockey, and ice dancers.

Sue Wells, deputy director of environmental services at the council, estimates that roughly 80,000 to 90,000 people use the rink each year.

However, she said closer to 400,000 people use the area's swimming pools, making them a priority service.

The plans are now being put out for public consultation.

But this is little consolation to Albert Wardle, 64, of Grimsby, the co-founder of Grimsby Lightning Ice Hockey Club.

He said he was distraught at the idea the ice rink could close.

Mr Wardle said: "It is outrageous that this might happen.

"I have been playing ice hockey at Grimsby for about 30 years, and it is used by so many different people, of different ages.

"It is disgusting that they are thinking of closing it and I absolutely back any campaign to save it."

The Facebook group is called 'Keep Grimsby Ice Rink' and already has 210 members.

One of them is Mark Gray, of Cleethorpes, who coaches some of the young Redwing sides.

He said: "I think it is disgusting that the ice rink might get taken away from us.

"I have been using it for 12 years, and will do all I can to help save it, because it is so widely used by many different clubs.

"The council seems to think that ice hockey is a minority sport – they wouldn't think that if they saw how many people came through here."

Laura Farrant (13), of Cleethorpes, is a member of the figure skating club that uses the rink, and has competed nationally.

She said: "I will do my best to save it because it will be difficult and expensive to have to go to Hull."

Her mother Kerry added: "It will be a lot to ask the girls to go from school to Hull and back regularly, and be ready for school again the next day."

Another figure skater who has competed nationally is Ellie Turner, 11, of Grimsby's Wybers Wood Estate.

She said: "I spend all my time here and we are a bit like a family, so we don't want that taken away."

All the clubs agreed that it would be hugely difficult for them to continue if the rink was to close.

For more local reaction to the plans keep reading your Grimsby Telegraph. To access the Facebook group visit www.facebook.com and search 'keep Grimsby ice rink.