Bird Ice Arena to Receive New Rink Surface

At its January 2025 meeting, the Ohio University Board of Trustees approved a $3.15M capital project to complete major improvements to Bird Ice Arena. These improvements will include the removal of the existing 1958 and 1990 rink floors and their replacement with a brand-new rink surface. Additionally, the dasher boards, which make up the bottom portion or the rink enclosure below the glass, will be completely replaced. These improvements will complement the prior construction work that was completed over the summer of 2024 and rectify the leakage issues with the existing rink floor.

While the University would ideally like to have the rink floor renovated over the summer of 2025 before the start of the next hockey season, the AYHA has not received confirmation that it will be feasible to complete the design and construction in such a short time frame. One alternative being considered is to leave the temporary ice mat system online throughout the summer and utilize it once again for the 2025/2026 season and complete the new rink surface in the summer of 2026.

Regardless of which schedule the University decides upon, with a new chiller and new rink floor, the hockey and skating community can look forward to reliable ice each season for years to come.

The AYHA Board of Directors will stay in communication with the University and provide updates as they are provided to us.  

Photo Credit - Rachel Klancher, The Post.