Houston, we have a problem...

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 2:17 pm

From an e-mail to John Buccigross, ESPN commentator and printed in his column on ESPN.com:

John, This week we received some terrible news -- our local ice rink has closed due to equipment problems and a lack of profitability. About 340 youth and adult hockey players and 100 figure skaters have lost their home rink midseason.
The closest rink in Houston is about an hour away (when the traffic is good), and while many of us are willing to make the trek, a lot of the kids won't be able to. On top of all that, the learn-to-skate and learn-to-play programs that have brought so many area kids (and adults) into the sport will no longer be available.
A group of parents and players has formed to figure out how to save the rink -- either to purchase it or operate it as a non-profit organization. Do you have any words of encouragement for us?
Jim Meehan
NASA -- Johnson Space Center
Houston (Clear Lake), Texas

Not really, Jim. That is sad. It's why hockey will always struggle to snug itself into the mainstream. Once built, you only have to mow a football field, baseball field and soccer field and you might refinish the floor once a year in basketball. It's also why the act of skating is one that is filled with gratefulness. Lots of conditions must take place whether one wants to skate indoors or outdoors. I know, I'll never take it for granted again.

John Buccigross is the host of NHL 2Night, which airs on ESPN2. His e-mail address -- for questions, comments or cross-checks -- is [email protected].

meg · Post by **meg** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 4:46 pm

there is an awesome rink in the galleria mall.

tennisrox014 · Post by **tennisrox014** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 10:00 pm

Thats sad about the rink closing, i used to play hockey and really think it is a great sport! In Fargo I guess we have never really had a problem making ice, and our hockey team gets more spectators than our football.

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 9:13 am

Ice sports are a way of life up here. A disaster at any rink it is very sad.

One year my Mum went out an hour away to play a game of Ringette (an ice sport similar to hockey, but not quite...). When she arrived she was greeted by a blaze and several fire trucks . The zamboni blew up... what a shame! I think they use an electric zamboni there now.

Another time I was in a Ringette tournament in Lacombe, Alberta when the blade on the zamboni fell and left a HUGE hole in the ice that had to be repaired. Since the repairs would take 3 days, and the tournament had one day left, we had to drive 30 minutes to a small town to play our 8 PM game at 1 AM, crazy I say! (A 1 AM game with teenagers who had another game at 9 AM was well... interesting...)

Thankfully ice sports are popular enough up here that ice rinks are often rebuilt. Worst case we play outside. Did anyone watch the Heritage Classic NHL game in November 2003 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montréal Canadiens? What an awesome event!

Benji · Post by **Benji** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:13 am

Buccigross: Backyard Blues

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:50 pm

I used to play hockey, it was roller hockey though and thats a lot easier to maintain. I hope they can find a way to get the rink back up though, any program that gives kids a constructive hobby is a good one.