Sep 29, 2024 | Mike McAvoy | 231 views
Bird Ice Arena Opening Delayed! Updated 10/13
Due to ongoing maintenance issues related to the rink floor, Ohio University has delayed the opening of Bird Ice Arena. Click Read More for additional information related to how this impacts the AYHA (updated October 13, 2024).
WHAT WE KNOW
Bird Ice Arena has undergone numerous upgrades this summer, including a new chiller, insulation in the roof, and numerous cosmetic upgrades. However, the University chose not to replace the rink surface as part of the renovation work. In mid-September when the chiller system was turned on, a substantial loss of chiller fluid was observed. Subsequent investigations have identified and repaired leaks in the refrigerant piping that runs just under the floor surface, but the significant loss of chiller fluid continues, and it is not possible to chill the floor and create ice.
The University has determined that the likely source of the leak is the header pipe that runs under the center of the rink. This header pipe feeds all of the small diameter pipes that run up and down the rink, and it appears to be set six feet or so below both rink surfaces (the one poured in 1990 and the original from 1958). Removing that much concrete while maintaining the integrity of the surrounding rink floor will take time. The old header pipe must be completely removed in a manner that does not damage the rest of the rink floor and replaced with a new, custom fabricated header pipe with hundreds of connections to the smaller diameter pipes just below the surface of the rink floor.
Ohio University has indicated that they’ve identified funding for the repairs, and that they are in the process of getting the necessary approvals to start the emergency repair project. Please note that even though this is an “emergency”, the approval process at a state university takes time for projects over a certain dollar value, which this work certainly is.
As of this update, the University has not provided the AYHA a timeline for when repair activities will begin or when the rink will reopen.
HOW THIS IS IMPACTING D1 & D2 HOCKEY
Home games for D1 and D2 have been cancelled through October, and those cancellations will likely extend into November as repairs to the rink floor continue. D1 players are leaving the campus around 5am to take advantage of early morning ice availability at the Charleston Memorial Ice Arena or in Columbus, while the D2 team’s practice times are late and do not end until almost midnight. This is reflective of there being no better available ice times or locations in Charleston or Columbus for either team.
HOW THIS IS IMPACTING THE AYHA
All practices and home games for the month of October are cancelled for all age divisions, and the AYHA Board of Directors will provide an update to the impact of games and practices for the month of November as we get more information from the University. Once the University has established a date for repairs to be complete, normal practices will resume for all age divisions at the arena. The Board of Directors will keep the Association members updated with information as it is received from the University.
Please understand that while this not an ideal start to the hockey season, we still have the option to participate in away games while Bird Ice Arena is down, and we have alternate practice options, which are detailed below. Adjusting on the fly to Bird Ice Arena being down has been more complex than losing an entire season to COVID, but at least we still have the opportunity for youth hockey between now and when the rink is back online.
THE PLAN FOR 8U
Because traveling to Columbus rinks is not an option for any of our teams during the week (see Questions from Association Members below), and because of the time involved for travel to and from the Mastodon Ice Arena is too much to justify for one hour of practice each weekend for our littlest hockey players, all practices are suspended for the 8U team until Bird Ice Arena reopens. Registration payments for all 8U players are suspended for the months that Bird Ice Arena is non-operational. Once the AYHA knows exactly when the arena will open again, each 8U player’s 2024/2025 season fees will be prorated to match the time the team is back on the ice, with partial refunds applied for the lost practice time as necessary.
THE PLAN FOR ALL BTHL TRAVEL TEAMS AND HIGH SCHOOL
Team coaches and team managers should reschedule any October BTHL home games to later in the season. With the information we currently have from the University, and considering the Thanksgiving holiday, no home games at Bird Ice Arena should be scheduled for the month of October, and it is prudent to avoid scheduling any for November at this time. Please work with your counterparts on your respective BTHL division teams to reschedule any home games at Bird Ice Arena you may have already penciled in for October and consider rescheduling those in November.
All travel teams are free to schedule away games at their discretion throughout the entire season. Coaches and team managers should keep AYHA Scheduler, Deb McAvoy, informed immediately of home games that are scheduled at Bird Ice Arena. If your team’s designated home ice day/time does not work for the away team you’re trying to work with, reach out to Deb first to see what alternate days/times may be available from other AYHA teams. Please do not make your own swaps with other AYHA coaches for home ice at Bird without Deb being involved.
Ohio University has offered rooms to the AYHA for dry-land training, floor hockey, classroom/video review sessions, etc. for the month of October at no cost to the AYHA. Furthermore, the AYHA has reserved weekend time at the newly opened half-size rink at the Mastodon Ice Arena in Newark. All travel teams will have the opportunity to take advantage of the Ohio University rooms during the week and on-ice training at Mastodon Ice Arena on weekends beginning Monday October 7th. It is up to the discretion of the coaches how dry-land training and/or video review/classroom sessions will be utilized.
Swapping dry-land / classroom times and venues at Ohio University with other teams is not permitted. If an away hockey game is going to conflict with your team’s ability to take advantage of an on-ice practice session at the Mastodon Ice Arena, let Deb McAvoy know – there may be an opportunity for another team to use your team’s time at the arena or vice versa. Please do not make your own arrangements with other AYHA coaches to swap times at Mastodon without Deb being involved. Due to the size of the 10U and 12U team rosters, they will share ice at Mastodon.
10U Schedule Starting Monday Oct 7
• Thursdays 6-7:30 pm Multipurpose Room Area E in Ping Center
• Saturdays 1:45-4 pm (15-minute ice cut at 2:45) Mastodon Ice Arena with 12U
• No video review / classroom time for 10U per head coach’s request
12U Schedule Starting Monday Oct 7
• Mondays 6-7:30 pm Multipurpose Room Area E in Ping Center
• Wednesdays 8-9:30 pm Video Review Grover Center W119 and Dryland Training/Stretching/Mobility
• Saturdays 1:45-4 pm (15-minute ice cut at 2:45) Mastodon Ice Arena with 10U
14U Schedule Starting Monday Oct 7
• Tuesdays 8-9:30 pm Video Review Academic & Research Center 312 and Dryland Training/Stretching/Mobility
• Thursdays 6-7:30 pm Multipurpose Room Area B in Ping Center
• Sundays 5:30-6:30 pm Mastodon Ice Arena (October 13th first practice)
High School Schedule Starting Monday Oct 7
• Mondays 8:30-10 pm Video Review Grover Center W126 and Dryland Training/Stretching/Mobility
• Wednesdays 7:45-10 pm Multipurpose Room Area E in Ping Center
• Sundays 6:45-7:45 pm Mastodon Ice Arena, except for 10/6 where the practice is 5:30-7:45 pm
QUESTIONS FROM ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Why can’t we find alternate rinks and available ice time?
All other rinks in Columbus, Newark, and Charleston, West Virigina are booked solid. Ice is in such demand in Columbus that you may routinely see as many as four or five different Blue Jackets Hockey League teams sharing one sheet of ice, while independent youth hockey associations in Columbus schedule the ice slots that are left over. What ice is available in Columbus, Newark, and Charleston during the week are at odd times, such as 10pm or later; clearly, our youth players cannot start practice during a school week at 10pm, get off the ice at 11 or 11:30pm, return home around 1:00am, and be ready for a 7:00am school bus. Weekends at these rinks are booked solid with local youth games, high school games, public skates, learn-to-skate / learn-to-play programs, and a thriving series of regional and national youth hockey tournaments.
Can my 8U youth player receive a partial refund for the lost practices at Bird Ice Arena?
Yes. Because traveling to Columbus rinks is not an option for any of our teams, and because of the time involved for travel to and from the Mastodon Ice Arena is too much to justify for one hour of practice each weekend for our littlest hockey players, all payments for all 8U players are suspended for the months that Bird Ice Arena is non-operational. Once the AYHA knows exactly when the arena will open again, each 8U player’s 2024/2025 season fees will be prorated to match the time the team is back on the ice.
Can my 10U/12U/14U/High School player receive a partial refund for the lost practices at Bird Ice Arena?
No. Because the AYHA has committed to reserving ice time at Newark’s new half-size Mastodon Ice Arena for the travel teams, and because that ice time is much more expensive than what Ohio University charges (on average, ice in Columbus is twice as expensive per hour), the portions of the players’ registration fees set aside for ice time at Bird during the closure are instead being used to reserve ice at Mastodon.
This article will continue to update as more information is provided by Ohio University.