Council pledges support for Brixton ice skating

People occupying flats to rent in Brixton have been assured that they will still have access to ice skating facilities, following the launch of the new Brixton Ice Centre.

The facility, which is located next door to Brixton Recreation Centre, has been officially opened by Lambeth Council this month just in time for Christmas, in order to ensure people still have a place to skate following the recent closure of Streatham Ice Arena.

Operated by Planet Ice and funded by Tesco, the new rink offers a 56 by 26 metre ice pad for competitive matches and figure skating, as well as changing facilities, skate hire, space for 400 spectators and a temporary car park.

Thanks to the opening of the centre, the local Streatham Redskins ice hockey team will have a new home, as will The Werewolves, an ice hockey club for young people with special educational needs.

Brixton Ice Centre will remain in operation for two-and-a-half years while work is completed on the multimillion pound Streatham regeneration scheme, which will ultimately result in the creation of a brand new permanent rink to replace the shuttered Streatham Ice Arena.

It means that locals will be able to continue to skate locally with no interruptions during this period, as well as bringing new visitors to the town centre of Brixton.

Florence Nosegbe, cabinet member for culture, sport and the 2012 Games, said: "The investment we are making in leisure facilities adds up to the biggest expansion of provision in the borough's history and a fantastic sporting legacy for Lambeth for the 2012 Games."

Brixton will benefit greatly when the Streatham Hub development scheme is finally completed, as it will bring a new leisure centre Tesco store and around 250 homes to the area, as well as creating around 600 jobs for locals.

Posted by Charles Mackay

Published 22nd December, 2011

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