Ice sports groups call to save rink at Time Capsule
North Lanarkshire Council has delayed the decision to close as parents make an urgent appeal.
Last updated 21 hours ago
Parents, coaches, and athletes are urging the council to reconsider potential plans to close the ice rink at the Time Capsule in Coatbridge
The facility opened in 1991 and features a water park, soft play area, gym, and North Lanarkshire's ice rink.
The ice rink is currently used for five skate teams including the North Lanarkshire Figure Skating Club and Lanarkshire Lightning Ice Hockey Club, now both are under threat as North Lanarkshire Council plan to scrap the rink for another soft play area.
The loss of the ice rink would force the skaters as young as five, as far as Edinburgh or Dundee for training, something which many parents say is unrealistic.
Head coach and founding member of the Lanarkshire Lighting Hockey Club Martyn King, told Clyde 1 how the community banded together when they were first alerted to the council’s plans.
“It was quite emotional; everyone was quite upset because the club means more to them then just hockey.
"It’s a community people have got lifelong friendships out of this, the adults the kids, everything.
"It was at that point everyone started to rally round, we are proud of the action we have got.”
Since the Save The Time Capsule Ice Rink petition was launched five days ago it has gained over 10,000 signatures.
Martin King continued, “Everybody is getting together to say right, let’s solve this problem let’s get together, let’s make our voice heard, let’s get a petition going right now.
"Last I checked today it’s at eight and a half thousand and it’s going up around 1000 a day right now... we are trying to turn a bad situation into quite a proud, quite a good situation, everybody’s coming together.”
One of the junior figure skaters, Abby, spoke to Clyde 1 about how passionate everyone is.
She said: “I love what I do, and people make it out to be like a really individual sport, but at this club, we try and make it like we involve everybody and make it like a big group thing.
She continued: "We try and engage people and like bring people in to start skating and really enjoy it, but I think I’d be really upset and disappointed if it ever stopped because I love what I do.”
A report to North Lanarkshire council’s communities committee stated that the soft play area as well as two padel courts would increase footfall to the capsule.
North Lanarkshire council say “A report will be discussed at the Communities Committee on Monday 27th of April.”
The rink has seen an outpouring of support from ice hockey clubs across Scotland.
Paisley Pirates said in a post online: "We are shocked to have been informed of the risk to the Ice Rink at the Time Capsule.
"The fact this is even being discussed is an absolute travesty."
Scottish Hockey said: "There is a genuine opportunity to develop a sustainable model that retains ice provision while addressing financial challenges."
The organisation added they would be willing to "work collaboratively to support that process".
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