Olympian leading fight to save stadium

On the rink’s board of directors and a figure-skating coach, the Belfield resident said over 2,000 learn to skate students had to stop lessons and members of the Sydney Figure Skating Club, Canterbury Ice Hockey Club and Sydney Arrows Ice Racing Club have either had to seek refuge at three other Sydney venues which are at capacity or stop their sports altogether.
After producing more than 20 other Olympians in the last 51 years after it was set up by the Ice Skating Club of NSW Co operative volunteers on council-owned land, the rink’s future is now dependent on whether a NSW Government WestInvest application for $17 million is approved.
“The outcome of our application is not due to be announced until December but that is our best hope,” Danielle said.
“The council is helping us to navigate the DA process and we are working with them to secure a long-term lease as we have only been on a month-to-month.”
Enlisting the help of local MPs, concerned parent Joanna Bitar and Danielle arranged to meet them on Saturday at Henley Park to discuss the situation and were buoyed when over 100 people turned out to show support.
“Over 120,000 participants use the rink every year; it normally operates 20 hours a day so that’s a lot of people affected, including 19 schools, elite athletes and inclusive classes,” Danielle said.
“The physical and mental health benefits to the community are enormous and the closure has hit thousands of us very hard.”
State MP for Canterbury, Sophie Cotsis said all levels of government need to come together and work on an action plan to save the rink and reopen it as quickly as possible.
“We have to ensure that our elite athletes have access to training… also at a local NSW level, you have young people, people with disabilities and schools that are using the rink.”
A Save Canterbury Ice Rink rally will be held this Saturday, October 8, from 10am, at Little Tasker Park, Canterbury (next to the ice rink), with everyone invited to turn up and show their support.
You can also sign the petition: change.org/p/save-the-canterbury-ice-rink.