HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Off of Leeman Ferry Road, families have been coming together to fellowship on ice. "This facility opened in 92 and has reached its capacity," Editha Dotson-Bowser, Facility Director at the Huntsville Ice Sports Center shares. "We are now on generation after generation of families that come back to this facility obviously. We started in 1959 and I have been here since I was very, very young and it provides a life skill, a quality of life that parents look to for generations and we want that to continue."
The Huntsville Ice Sports Center is experiencing some growing pains and now the city has approved plans to expand the ice center with additional arenas including a dedicated curling surface. "We need to expand and the partnership with the city is currently happening, and we hope to see somewhere at the end of 26 or 27 additional arenas and a dedicated curling surface on this property," Bowser shares. "The curling facility is definitely a focus on the curling program as we move forward with developing that business plan. It isn't to say that there might be a few ancillary things that may be included, other ice activities. but the primary focus and the primary reason is for curling."
Also, more parking improvements. "Our day-to-day programs' current parking situation is very satisfactory," Bowser explains. "Our day to date programs run 352 days a year. Our events just like any event will be a little more problematic, but we are expanding the parking lot as well and we will utilize the stadium parking lot for big events like Havoc."
The center reaching capacity was the idea according to “Dita” who shares it was a part of the plan. "I mean, that was the plan, you know, to serve the community with excellence in all sports, which include hockey, figure skating, curling, broomball and the all-important public sessions," Bowser shares. "So just as the city has continued to grow, the need for those services here have continued to grow and we've outgrown the current space."
The city’s investment says a lot about the appreciation for the center. "I think they believe in us. I think they have for a long time," Bowser says. "I mean, they know that this facility serves the patrons with excellence. We are proud of our facility. It is known nationally for many years of having great ice sports here and we would like to see that the expansion helps serve this community for the next 30 years."
For information on classes and events visit their website.