There had been a “For Sale” sign out front for some weeks and it’s the I-35 location near my house, the Northcross Mall location will continue. Initially, it is hard to garner any sympathy on this situation from the Environmental movement and anybody who lives above the Mason-Dixon line. An ice rink requires an enormous amount of energy plus we’re experiencing the worst drought in Texas history (it clobbers the legendary 1895 disaster, little did they know about Dubious and Goodhair).
The way the story reads, someone bought it but only wants the land/building. Soon will come the pain-in-the ass part, rescheduling everything the place handled with the last remaining sheet in the Austin area. I wouldn’t hold my breath on North Reaganstan having a new facility by 2012, let alone it being open to the public, even Northcross has struggled over the years. Iceskating has declined because kids have cheaper distractions when they’re not being chauffeured to some other activity by the SUV-driving parents.
Quick side note. I learned from this and through Jeremy, a sheet is the ice part. The rink is the building. Thus, Chaparral was a rink hosting two sheets.
I’m going to miss the place. When I first started working for PowerComputing in Round Rock, I noticed it during my commute between the job and Hyde Park. I never gave it much thought or interest. With the discovery of UT Hockey games happening there, I started checking it out. The Icebats’ final two seasons being there created my favorite memories and I figured this put the joint on decent financial footing, the second sheet was built at the time.
Who knows what happened in the end. It’s most likely this crappy economy which is headed for another nose dive thanks to Know Nothing Party and the first Black Republican president. The next dilemma will be if I can still enjoy my Thursday night skating ritual (currently suspended due to a long housesitting stint) at Northcross since Jeremy might be rejoining me in the near future. I wouldn’t be surprised if the owners shut it down from the public. I don’t blame them. Hockey leagues are more likely to pony up a consistent flow of money to keep the lights on.
I hope to make one more visit to say goodbye, thank them for all the great games (especially the 13-round shootout nailbiter!) and to get my skates sharpened.