17 Jul 2019
Ice sports destination planned for London's Lee Valley
BY Tom Walker
Plans have been unveiled for an ice skating destination in east London.
Featuring an Olympic-size, twin-rink ice centre, the facility project is being driven by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA).
The LVRPA wants the new complex to replace the ageing Lee Valley Ice Centre, which is currently at risk of closure.
The existing, 34-year-old centre attracts around 279,000 visits a year, but the venue is reaching the end of its working life and is struggling to meet increasing demand.
The new centre, which would cost around £30m to build, would double the amount of ice and would also expand the offer to include a health club with a gym floor and dance studio.
Plans also include the transformation of the surrounding landscape, replacing areas "devoid of ecological value" with significant native planting.
“Lee Valley Ice Centre is hugely popular, open up to 19 hours a day, seven days a week – but recent operational problems have shown that it’s reaching the end of its working life and if it’s not replaced, it will be lost," said Lee Valley Regional Park chief executive Shaun Dawson.
“We’re proposing a fantastic new ice centre which would also act as a gateway to the surrounding open space.
"It would be the only twin Olympic-sized venue in south-east England and would enable many more people to get active on the ice, as well as use the gym, dance studios, café and community spaces.
"We believe these opportunities would benefit people from the local community, across the capital and from the wider region.
Richard Arnold, Managing director of Wrenbridge Sport, the lead consultant on the project, added: “The proposed new ice centre will add to Lee Valley Regional Park Authority’s world-class sporting facilities, which already include Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley White Water Centre, both of which were key venues for the London 2012 Olympics.
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