PLANS for a new ice hockey league in Plymouth have had to be scrapped following news that the Pavilions rink is set to close at the end of the year.
The British Regional Ice-Inline Hockey Association (BRIHA) had held two successful 3v3 tournaments at the city centre venue this year and on the back of those they were due to start a new league at the end of November featuring teams from Devon and Cornwall.
Kernow Wizards, Plymouth Phoenix, Plymouth Eclipse, Plymouth Stars, Royal Navy Kings and Kernow Lightning were all due to take part before the planned closure of the Pavilions was announced.
It is a further blow for the ice and roller hockey community who had turned to the Pavilions after losing their indoor venue for roller hockey.
They lost the use of YMCA Kitto and could not find another venue in the city as, according to them, none of the sports halls wanted to accommodate inline or roller-hockey sports.
The nearest venue they could find was North Molton, but that meant a 180-mile round trip.
It was then that they talked to the Plymouth Pavilions ice rink management about having ice hockey matches there, which turned out to be a success.
They have described losing both the YMCA and the Pavilions as ‘devastating’.
BRIHA chairman Vadims Mahnovs added: “The ice hockey community needs this place or replaced with something better and more accessible to be used for multi ice sports.”
Let me get it right. The only ice rink in the city, despite its handicap resulting from the shape of the kindey, is going to be closed. C’mon Plymouth, you can afford way more than this….