The floor is iced, the skates are on their shelves and the Zamboni is ready to go. The West Valley Acord Ice Center celebrates its grand opening June 6-8.
The $4 million city and county-funded facility located at 5353 W. 3100 South, in West Valley City is already a hit with the public."We are pretty well booked solid for the next year," Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Area Director John Barenbruggee said.
The Acord Center will serve youth, high school and adult hockey leagues, figure skaters and instructors, center-sponsored figure skating competitions, serve as a practice facility for the Utah Grizzlies as well as be open for public skating with skate rentals and a snack bar. The facility also expects to see major use during the 2002 Winter Games.
The Acord Center is the state's largest indoor skating facility with more than 20,000 square feet of ice.
The ice center is the centerpiece of Centennial Park, a planned 77-acre municipal park that will include soccer fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, picnic pavilions, a baseball fourplex and a plaza.
"The ice center is the first leg of the project with the rest of the complex coming together over the next three to five years," Barenbruggee said.
The Acord Center was built in response to public need and in anticipation of the 2002 Winter Games.
"The center fills a niche in the community that really wasn't being served," West Valley Communications Manager Ted Nguyen said.
The three-day opening celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, an ice show with figure skating and hockey exhibitions, youth skating and hockey clinics, open hockey for all age groups and free public skating.
Admission to the event is free, but space is limited. Tickets are available at Harmon's Shopping Center, 3955 W. 3500 South.
For more information contact the West Valley Recreation Department at 963-3224.