Will Bournemouth ever get a full-time ice rink? (From Bournemouth Echo)

Maybe they should freeze the water over the surf reef instead,all the money wasted on yet another white elephant by Bournemouth council could have built an ice rink that would be the pride of the town,instead Bournemouth is stuck with an empty Imax cinema and a surf reef that many surfers have said is not very good,so i doubt there will ever be another ice rink in Bournemouth,shame my local council wont entertain the idea,but then they are like Bournemouth council,totally ignore the locals.

Put it in the perfectly named location The Winter Gardens, central for the conibation

why not put it somewhere near Bournemouth hospital , good for A & E and people are more likely to come in from out of town..

Mmmm...let me see. Westover Road: Too few visitors, too little income, fell into disrepair and closed. Tower Park, too few visitors, closed. We really need a new ice rink, don't we? The BIC might be busy a few weeks a year but if that was made permanent the novelty would soon wear off and it would go the same way. So why invest in a rink at Kings Park? What about a nice cannabis cafe instead?

A permanent ice rink would not be viable. Councillors seem to have short memories don't they?

The reason there is not a rink in Boscombe this year is nobody used it last year.
If it had made money it would have been there.

Whilst it would be good for the young of the Town, a Town Centre location would never be viable, charge a commercial entry price and it would be empty. A low cost operation at King's Park, with a sensible user entry price would be good for the Town, good for the younger members of Society, but low cost and a skating rink?

This project will be put on ice until the surf reef pays for itself, i.e. until Hell freezes over!

This project will be put on ice until the Surf Reef pays for itself, i.e. until Hell freezes over!

No-one I know wants one - and even if it was built we couldn't afford to use it. Please leave what's left of OUR park alone - it was given for the use of the people not the profit of the developers.

simonhumby wrote:
No-one I know wants one - and even if it was built we couldn't afford to use it. Please leave what's left of OUR park alone - it was given for the use of the people not the profit of the developers.

So an Ice Rink will not be of use to the people. Just like Dean Court, the Athletics Stadium, the Indoor Bowling Green, the Skateboard Park, the Recreation Area, the Cricket Ground.
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I people would read the full project on the Kings Park Ice Rink, which incidentally has had great support, and a lot of local recommendation, they will find that the complex will not only consist of an Ice Rink, but other indoor sports facilities, such as football, basketball, climbing wall, and more. The perfect indoor facility for the usual inclement weather, and other times. Because of its public use, club use, and team use, it will pay for itself in time.
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Take a survey on how many travel out of town to use Ice Rinks elsewhere, as far a field as Reading and Basingstoke.
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Beesley and Co will be foolish and suicidal to let another project like this to go. If it is costs, where is the £30m from the Airshow gone. I thought this would have been ploughed back into the town. If Beesley and Co cannot do it, then step aside and let somebody else do it.

Perhaps it is just those who have Kings Park as a back garden who do not want an ice rink there !!

wrote:

simonhumby wrote:
No-one I know wants one - and even if it was built we couldn't afford to use it. Please leave what's left of OUR park alone - it was given for the use of the people not the profit of the developers.

So an Ice Rink will not be of use to the people. Just like Dean Court, the Athletics Stadium, the Indoor Bowling Green, the Skateboard Park, the Recreation Area, the Cricket Ground.
.
I people would read the full project on the Kings Park Ice Rink, which incidentally has had great support, and a lot of local recommendation, they will find that the complex will not only consist of an Ice Rink, but other indoor sports facilities, such as football, basketball, climbing wall, and more. The perfect indoor facility for the usual inclement weather, and other times. Because of its public use, club use, and team use, it will pay for itself in time.
.
Take a survey on how many travel out of town to use Ice Rinks elsewhere, as far a field as Reading and Basingstoke.
.
Beesley and Co will be foolish and suicidal to let another project like this to go. If it is costs, where is the £30m from the Airshow gone. I thought this would have been ploughed back into the town. If Beesley and Co cannot do it, then step aside and let somebody else do it.

Er.. really? I would say the numbers in any survey would be VERY small - Reading? Basingstoke? I haven't seen a massive population shift every weekend from Bomo on South West Trains or the M27!
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Not having anything to do with the Council myself or interest in internal/historic wranglings I wouldn't have a clue who 'Beasley and Co' are and why they would be 'suicidal', but this sounds like a project reliant on a developer who will be reliant on PROFIT. Hundreds of rinks have closed over the years as they were empty/underused unviable - Ice skating is not a mass sport - just because a few get carried away when Dancing on Ice hits ITV isn't a reason to go all out for one. We are building loads of ball rooms for 'strictly' are we? - personally I would encourage the development of the facilities in MY local park - not necessary build more.
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I did initially think 'wow - more investment/changing the face of boscombe etc' but reality soon leads you to the facts. The BIC is the best place for a annual temporary facility as that is probably all that is sustainable.
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Not sure why a developer is sniffing around - a business model is based around Ice with some 'added facilites' or 'lots of facilites added and a bolt on ice rink to try and get it through planning'?
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A Bournemouth Council Tax Payer and totally unconnected to politics and no personal agenda.

I have travelled to Ryde for the ice skating. £10 gets you a hovercraft journey there and back,(rink next door) with a skating session. Good day out for the kids.

WE HAVE ONE!!!!
IT'S IN WESTOVER ROAD!!!
WHY BUILD ANOTHER ONE!!

ice rink should be in a better location where more people can access it but whatever the outcome make it AFFORDABLE for ALL not for the few.

cardomon wrote:
The reason there is not a rink in Boscombe this year is nobody used it last year. If it had made money it would have been there.

Probably cos it was too ruddy expensive for people with kids.

Is it not time this nonsense which keeps rearing its head about a bournemouth ice rink was finally laid to rest. THERE WILL NEVER AGAIN BE A PERMANENT ICE RINK IN BOURNEMOUTH.
Face facts. I was one of the regulars at the old Westover, was on the volunteer stewards team.

The sheer cost of building an ice rink, (have you any idea what an ice surface weighs)the equipment is astronomically expensive, the enormous cost of maintaining and servicing an ice surface, which is a continual process which has to be repaired every few hours. The level of staff required. Then just think about our current compensation mad culture "where there's pain there's gain" AT AN ICE RINK the solicitors union may well sponser a rink, as many would become millionaires out of it.

Then stop and think instead of spending all that money. Buy a run down barn of a building stick in some appalingly poor quality amplifiers and some flashing lights. Charge the morons who currently infest the town centre at the weekend the same admission charge as a rink. As they are not busy skating yo can sell them rubbish poor quality booze at extortionate prices.

Why exactly would anyone invest in an ice rink.

Get real regretably it ain't gonna happen

davidowoah wrote:

wrote:

simonhumby wrote:
No-one I know wants one - and even if it was built we couldn't afford to use it. Please leave what's left of OUR park alone - it was given for the use of the people not the profit of the developers.

So an Ice Rink will not be of use to the people. Just like Dean Court, the Athletics Stadium, the Indoor Bowling Green, the Skateboard Park, the Recreation Area, the Cricket Ground.
.
I people would read the full project on the Kings Park Ice Rink, which incidentally has had great support, and a lot of local recommendation, they will find that the complex will not only consist of an Ice Rink, but other indoor sports facilities, such as football, basketball, climbing wall, and more. The perfect indoor facility for the usual inclement weather, and other times. Because of its public use, club use, and team use, it will pay for itself in time.
.
Take a survey on how many travel out of town to use Ice Rinks elsewhere, as far a field as Reading and Basingstoke.
.
Beesley and Co will be foolish and suicidal to let another project like this to go. If it is costs, where is the £30m from the Airshow gone. I thought this would have been ploughed back into the town. If Beesley and Co cannot do it, then step aside and let somebody else do it.

Er.. really? I would say the numbers in any survey would be VERY small - Reading? Basingstoke? I haven't seen a massive population shift every weekend from Bomo on South West Trains or the M27!
.
Not having anything to do with the Council myself or interest in internal/historic wranglings I wouldn't have a clue who 'Beasley and Co' are and why they would be 'suicidal', but this sounds like a project reliant on a developer who will be reliant on PROFIT. Hundreds of rinks have closed over the years as they were empty/underused unviable - Ice skating is not a mass sport - just because a few get carried away when Dancing on Ice hits ITV isn't a reason to go all out for one. We are building loads of ball rooms for 'strictly' are we? - personally I would encourage the development of the facilities in MY local park - not necessary build more.
.
I did initially think 'wow - more investment/changing the face of boscombe etc' but reality soon leads you to the facts. The BIC is the best place for a annual temporary facility as that is probably all that is sustainable.
.
Not sure why a developer is sniffing around - a business model is based around Ice with some 'added facilites' or 'lots of facilites added and a bolt on ice rink to try and get it through planning'?
.
A Bournemouth Council Tax Payer and totally unconnected to politics and no personal agenda.

You comment about matters of Bournemouth, and do not know who Mr. Beesley and Co are. Firstly, let me enlighten you, only the deputy leader of the Council and the Council.
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May I suggest you visit the BIC and see how many use it the winter ice rink. A fair number, who have also wished for a permanent rink for public use. An Ice Rink would not only be for public use, but could also be used for Ice Hockey, and up and coming sport in the UK. Ice Shows, which once were famous in the town. An Ice Rink would pay for itself in due course.
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I was not expecting you to see vehicles travelling to Reading, Basingstoke or other areas with ice rinks, with cards in their windows we are going to an ice rink out of town, or placards being carried by train passengers. However, it is a known fact that many do travel to other towns for the use of Ice Rinks.
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Do you really come from Bournemouth.

If it's such a good idea why not build it on private land? Surely it's not just another sell-off of a public asset to help pay for council pensions?

There is a lot of hot air here about no requirement for an ice rink and lack of interest in skating.
My daughter travels to Basingstoke's rink every Saturday at a cost of about £20 for a return rail fare, plus the entrance fee and the cost of her lessons.
She and a number of her secondary school friends make use of the BIC temporary rink when available and wish that there was a permanent rink in the Bournemouth area.
ANY sporting facility available to youngsters can only be a good thing, providing them with an interest and ways of keeping fit and healthy.
I realise that these sorts of facilities cost money to run and maintain, however, as proven by Basingstoke, it is possible for a well-run rink to survive. Why do some people always value everything in monetary terms only, expecting a huge profit and having no regard for the benefit to the community and to society as a whole?
This fantastic project has my full support and it deserves the backing and support of the local authorities and the whole community.