Residents Take One Last ‘Skate Down Memory Lane’ Wheeling Park Memorial Ice Rink

WHEELING -- Despite spring-like weather that had some people eyeing the golf courses Monday, scores of Ohio Valley residents of all ages instead took to the ice at Wheeling Park for a "Skate Down Memory Lane."

The community "farewell" celebration took place Monday night to honor the history of Wheeling Park's 58-year-old Ice Rink. The facility closed today, and over the next several months, will undergo a major renovation. The Wheeling Park Commission will break ground this spring on a $1.3 million improvement project that promises to transform the local landmark into a state-of-the-art ice complex and multipurpose community.

Members of the Wheeling Nailers, the Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA) and other community partners were on hand to celebrate the ice rink's rich history and to look forward to a new era on the ice that is expected to begin later this year.

"It's been 58 years since the ice rink has been here," Wheeling Park Commission President and CEO David Lindelow said. "It's the only sheet of ice in Ohio County, except for of course WesBanco Arena. So if we didn't have this sheet of ice, it would deprive all of the young people from the county to be able to skate. WAHA is tremendously successful. All four high schools play here. We have the Wheeling Area Skating Club that skates here. It's such an important part of Wheeling."

A couple of years ago, the refrigeration and the compressing equipment were replaced for about $600,000, Lindelow said.

"This phase will be completely tearing out the piping and the concrete, and the earth underneath it, because we will have to replace the drainage," he explained. "We're actually going to move the ice rink over to square it to the building so we can add bleachers on the other side so there will be viewing for the games. And then we will add new dasher boards. So it's about a $1.3 million project to do this phase of it."

Lindelow said they also hope to refurbish the inside spaces at the facility and update the exterior facade, as well.

"But the most important part – and it's very time-sensitive – is to get the ice rink done, because we want to be reopen on July 4 for the summer events, which are held on the concrete," he said. "We're hoping to be open July 4 weekend on the concrete, and then we open for the skating season in October."

Mike Bavis, head coach of the Wheeling Nailers, said for hockey players, the community ice rink truly evokes fond memories of their youth.

"It really is such a tremendous asset to this community," Bavis said. "On behalf of the Nailers, we're very excited and thankful to be part of it, and we're looking forward to seeing the finished product."

Lindelow thanked the Wheeling Nailers and the other community partners who helped the project move forward.

"I think it's important to recognize how much support it takes to do a project of this size" Lindelow said. "We have support from the Nailers, WAHA, the Wheeling Skating Club, the J.B. Chambers Foundation, the Oglebay Foundation and the Wheeling Park Commission. So there are quite a few parties coming together to help make this happen.

Eriks Janelsins, president and CEO of the Oglebay Foundation, said that before the project came to fruition, the future of the ice rink was uncertain as questions arose about how may years the aging facility could continue to function.

"There had been concerns about whether or not this ice rink would be here in the future," Janelsins said. "What really is exciting is now we can see a 50-year future for this facility, and we've got a lot of other exciting things on the horizon here as well."

Wheeling Park was founded in 1925 through gifts from 170 citizens who made donations to help create the park, and in the 1950s, the community came together again to build the ice rink, Janelsins noted.

"That's what we're asking today," he said, noting that community donations are still needed to help fund the project. "We're trying to raise $1.3 million to refurbish and renovate this space, and we need the community to step forward and make gifts. That's why we are so fortunate to live in Wheeling to have Oglebay and Wheeling Park – because the community supports and loves its parks, and want to make them better."

The Wheeling Park Ice Rink is used by 600 Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association players, 125 Wheeling Figure Skating Club members and six hockey teams from five area schools. The rink sees more than 20,000 general skating admissions each year, which makes it the highest attended attraction in the city's parks. And visitors of all ages seem to love getting out on the ice.

"I grew up in St. Clairsville, but my brother played hockey and my dad coached," said Jean-Anne Renshaw of Wheeling, who was among the many local residents who came out to skate on Monday during the celebration. "I remember sitting in the boxes watching them practice before the roof was on. Then all through middle school and high school, ice skating with friends was a major social event for kids. Now my daughter skates here with her sixth grade friends. The rink is important for just the generations of memories made here. It's important to keep it going for future children. It's not just Wheeling, it's an Ohio Valley fixture. Everyone is happy to see the park investing in it for future generations."

To donate to Wheeling Park's Memorial Ice Rink renovation project, visit www.oglebayfoundation.org. All gifts of $500 or greater received by Sept. 1 will be recognized in the ice rink.