National Ice Centre

Ice rink in Nottingham

This article is about the ice rink in England. For the United States government center, see National Ice Center. For the adjoining arena, see Motorpoint Arena Nottingham.

The National Ice Centre

The public rink at the National Ice Centre

Location| Bolero Square
The Lace Market
Nottingham NG1 1LA
United Kingdom
Coordinates| 52°57′10″N 1°8′22″W﻿ / ﻿52.95278°N 1.13944°W﻿ / 52.95278; -1.13944
Owner| Nottingham City Council
Construction
Broke ground| 1993
Opened| 1 April 2000 (2000-04-01)
Construction cost| £43 million
Website
national-ice-centre.com

The National Ice Centre (NIC) is located in Nottingham, England. It is situated just east of the city centre, close to the historic Lace Market area. The NIC was the first twin Olympic-sized (60m x 30m) ice pad facility in the UK, "heralding a new era in the development of ice skating".[1] Incorporating the Nottingham Arena (since January 2016, rebranded as the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham), the NIC is a combined live entertainment and leisure venue.

The first ice rink (housed within the Arena) was opened on 1 April 2000 by Olympic Gold Medalist, Jayne Torvill. The second Olympic Rink was opened the following year, on 7 April 2001.[1]

## History

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### Construction

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The National Ice Centre was constructed on the site of the former Nottingham Ice Stadium, which opened in 1939 and was showing its age. Plans to replace the stadium were first announced in September 1995. The estimated cost of replacement was £13 million, part of which was to come from National Lottery funds. The plans were unveiled in October 1996, by which time the British Olympic Association were in support of the proposal.

Several buildings were demolished to make way for the new ice centre; this included an Art Deco warehouse and "The Old Cricket Players" pub, which was initially planned to be spared. The former Ice Stadium closed in March 2000, and by May 2000 was described as "nearly demolished", with four skip loads of demolition rubble being removed from the site every day.[2][3] This had been the former training ground for Olympic ice dancing champions Torvill and Dean (Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean). The square in front of the new building was named 'Bolero Square' to honour their achievements.

During excavation for the new building in July 1998, a rare 1,100-year-old Saxon jug was found, which is on display at the Nottingham Castle Museum. A 19th-century graveyard was also found under the car park, from which the bodies were then exhumed.

### Opening

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Main entrance on Bolero Square

The centre was officially opened on 1 April 2000 by Olympic Gold Medalist, Jayne Torvill; with the first public skating sessions taking place the same month. The second phase of the project – the 'family rink' – was scheduled to be completed by May–June 2001, but opened ahead of schedule, on 7 April 2001.[4][1] The final cost of the project was £43 million,[1] 10% of which came from the lottery – one of the highest grants awarded.

HM The Queen visited the National Ice Centre and Nottingham Arena on 31 July 2002.[5]

## Facilities

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Opened in April 2000, the Arena doubles as an Olympic-sized ice rink and a concert venue, in which case the ice is boarded over and the seating and staging are converted to suit the event. The seating capacity of the arena is 7,500 for ice sports and 10,000 for concerts.[6]

The Olympic Rink was the second Olympic-sized ice pad to be opened, in April 2001. Sometimes referred to as the 'family rink', this is where the public ice skating sessions and fun family events are accommodated.

Incorporating these two ice pads, the NIC is used for a range of ice sports activities: ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating and synchronized skating. As well as encouraging absolute beginners to participate in these ice sports, there are many elite ice skaters training at the NIC.[1]

### GB Speed Skating Squad

[edit]

The National Ice Skating Association (NISA) has designated the National Ice Centre as a Centre of Excellence for Short Track Speed Skating and it is the training ground for the GB Short Track Speed Skating Squad.[1] Preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics took place at the NIC prior to the squad flying out to PyeongChang at the end of January 2018.[7]

The 2017 triple ISU World Champion, Elise Christie, is a member of the GB Short Track Speed Skating Squad. Christie broke the 500 m short track speed skating world record on 13 November 2016 in Salt Lake City, United States.[8] This achievement was recognised by the NIC through the unveiling of a venue banner describing her as the "fastest woman on ice".[9]

## Ice Stars

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The award-winning TV documentary series, Ice Stars,[10] was filmed at the National Ice Centre. Commissioned by CBBC, this series showcased the various disciplines of a group of young ice skaters at the NIC. There have been a total of three series to date; the first series aired in 2015.

The show featured young ice hockey players, speed skaters, teams from the Nottingham Synchronized Skating Academy (NSSA), and members of the NIC Figure Skating & Ice Dance Academy. The NIC has invested time and resources to support the production of Ice Stars in a bid to revive interest in ice skating around the UK.

Ice Stars is classified as a live-action programme in the BBC children's TV programmes list.

## Green accreditation

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The National Ice Centre is an Industry Green accredited venue,[11] committed to significantly reducing energy consumption. The facility takes into consideration the energy usage and the behaviour and activities of all staff, contractors and customers that visit the venue.[12]

The environmental impact is managed in terms of:

* consumption of electricity, water, heat, gas and other resources
* production and disposal of waste and pollution
* atmosphere emissions from travel associated with the business

On Saturday 22 April 2017, the NIC participated in Earth Day 2017\. On this day "the NIC generated all its energy from the sun for one hour via solar panels – the average energy used in one hour on a Saturday at the venue is 500 KWh, this is equivalent to 40 hairdryers being used for 30 minutes every day for a whole year!" An ice skating discount was offered on the day to customers who travelled to the venue via environmentally friendly means such as public transport or on foot.[13]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f "About the NIC". Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
2. ^ Brunton, John (29 March 2000). "Centre Stage: Torvill to open ice complex". Nottingham Evening Post. Retrieved 22 December 2013.(subscription required)
3. ^ Brunton, John (15 May 2000). "It's gone but not forgotten". Nottingham Evening Post. Retrieved 22 December 2013.(subscription required)
4. ^ Brunton, John (28 March 2000). "PROMOTERS HOPE TO ATTRACT A GALAXY OF TOP STAR NAMES TO PULL IN THE CROWDS AT THE CITY'S NEW ICE STADIUM". Nottingham Evening Post. Retrieved 22 December 2013.(subscription required)
5. ^ "Venue Information: Capital FM Arena Nottingham". The Gig Cartel. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
6. ^ "Arena Capacity". Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
7. ^ "Inspirational farewell for Olympic Short Track Speed Skating athletes". English Institute of Sport (Press release). 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 6 February 2018.
8. ^ "Elise Christie: GB speed skater breaks 500m world record in Salt Lake City". BBC Sport. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
9. ^ "NIC adds Elise Christie to its Gallery of Legends"[permanent dead link‍]
10. ^ www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/ice-stars
11. ^ "Reducing your environmental impact". National Ice Centre. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014.
12. ^ Ingham, Martin (1 April 2017). "National Ice Centre & Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Environmental Statement" (PDF). NIC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2018.
13. ^ "NIC has saved thousands by 'Thinking Green'". NIC. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to National Ice Centre.

* NIC 2017–2018 Annual Review
* A virtual tour of the ice rink, courtesy of the BBC's Nottingham Panthers page

* v
* t
* e

Places of interest in Nottingham

Historic buildings|

* 10, Low Pavement
* 19, Castle Gate
* 24-26, Low Pavement
* All Saints' Church
* Boulevard Works
* Bromley House Library
* Canning Terrace
* Central Post Office
* County War Memorial
* City War Memorial
* County House
* Enfield House
* Flying Horse Inn
* Green's Windmill
* Newdigate House
* Nottingham Castle
* Nottingham Council House
* Nottingham Roman Catholic Cathedral
* Nottingham Guildhall
* Old Assembly Rooms
* Oldknows Factory, Nottingham
* Plumptre Hospital
* Queen's Chambers
* Severn's Building
* Sheriff House
* Sherwin House
* St Mary's Church
* St Nicholas' Church
* St Peter's Church
* Watson Fothergill's offices
* Willoughby House
* Wollaton Hall

Public Houses|

* The Bell Inn
* Cock and Hoop
* Old Angel Inn
* Royal Children
* Thurland Hall
* Ye Olde Salutation Inn
* Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem

Museums, centres and galleries|

* City of Caves
* National Justice Museum
* Green's Windmill
* Nottingham Castle
* Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery
* Nottingham Heritage Railway
* Nottingham Industrial Museum
* Trade
* Nottingham Natural History Museum
* Wollaton Hall

Parks and public spaces|

* Forest Recreation Ground
* Highfields Park
* Church Cemetery, Nottingham
* Nottingham General Cemetery
* Old Market Square
* The Arboretum
* Wollaton Park
* Woodthorpe Grange Park

Theatre and entertainment|

* Albert Hall
* Broadway Cinema
* Elite Picture Theatre
* Lace Market Theatre
* Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
* National Ice Centre
* Nottingham Arts Theatre
* Nottingham Playhouse
* Royal Concert Hall
* Ocean
* Rock City
* Savoy Cinema
* The Cornerhouse
* The Palais
* Theatre Royal

Shopping|

* Broadmarsh Shopping Centre
* The Exchange Arcade
* Victoria Shopping Centre

Transport|

* Broadmarsh bus station
* East Midlands Airport
* Nottingham Express Transit
* Nottingham railway station
* Trent Bridge
* Victoria bus station

Education|

* Nottingham Trent University
* University of Nottingham
* Nottingham College
* Nottingham Central Library

Sport|

* National Ice Centre (Nottingham Panthers)
* National Watersports Centre
* City Ground (Nottingham Forest F.C.)
* Meadow Lane (Notts County F.C.)
* Trent Bridge (Nottinghamshire C.C.C.)
* Nottingham Racecourse
* Nottingham Greyhound Stadium

Lost landmarks|

* Black Boy Hotel
* Greyfriars, Nottingham
* Nottingham Exchange
* Nottingham Guild Hall
* Nottingham Victoria railway station
* Nottingham Whitefriars
* Pierrepont House
* Plumptre House
* Walter Fountain

* v
* t
* e

Ice Rinks in the United Kingdom

South West England|

* Link Centre (Swindon)
* Planet Ice Bristol

South East England|

* Guildford Spectrum
* Oxford Ice Rink
* Ozone Ice Rink (Bracknell)
* Planet Ice Hemel Hempstead
* Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes
* Planet Ice Silverdome Arena (Basingstoke)
* Planet Ice Gosport
* Slough Ice Arena

London|

* Alexandra Palace
* Lee Valley Ice Centre
* Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre
* Sobell Leisure Centre
* Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre
* Queens Ice and Bowl

East of England|

* Cambridge Ice Arena
* Riverside Leisure Centre (Chelmsford)
* Planet Ice Peterborough

West Midlands|

* Planet Ice Cannock
* Planet Ice Solihull
* Planet Ice Uttoxeter
* SkyDome Arena (Coventry)
* Telford Ice Rink

East Midlands|

* Lammas Leisure Centre (Sutton-in-Ashfield)
* National Ice Centre (Nottingham)

North West England|

* Altrincham Ice Dome (Manchester)
* Blackburn Arena
* Planet Ice Widnes
* Pleasure Beach Arena (Blackpool)

North East England|

* Billingham Forum
* Bradford Ice Arena
* IceSheffield
* Sheffield Arena
* Hull Arena
* Planet Ice Leeds
* Whitley Bay Ice Rink (Newcastle)

Northern Ireland|

* Dundonald International Ice Bowl
* SSE Arena Belfast

Wales|

* Ice Arena Wales (Cardiff)
* Deeside Leisure Centre

Scotland|

* Auchenharvie Leisure Centre (Saltcoats)
* Ayr Ice Rink
* Braehead Arena (Glasgow)
* Dumfries Ice Bowl
* Dundee Ice Arena
* East Kilbride Ice Rink
* Fife Ice Arena (Kirkcaldy)
* Galleon Centre (Kilmarnock)
* Hamilton Ice Rink
* Inverness Ice Centre
* Linx Ice Arena (Aberdeen)
* Moray Leisure Centre (Elgin)
* Murrayfield Ice Rink (Edinburgh)
* The Peak (Stirling)
* The Time Capsule (Coatbridge)

* v
* t
* e

Venues of the Elite Ice Hockey League

Main venues|

* Altrincham Ice Dome (Manchester)
* Braehead Arena (Glasgow)
* Dundee Ice Arena
* Fife Ice Arena (Kirkcaldy)
* Guildford Spectrum
* Ice Arena Wales (Cardiff)
* National Ice Centre (Nottingham)
* Sheffield Arena
* SkyDome Arena (Coventry)
* SSE Arena Belfast

Secondary venues|

* Dundonald International Ice Bowl
* IceSheffield

Former venues|

* Alexandra Palace (London 2003–04)
* Cardiff Arena (Cardiff 2006–16)
* Deeside Leisure Centre
* Hull Arena
* Lee Valley Ice Centre (London 2004–06)
* AO Arena
* Metro Radio Arena (Newcastle 2005–10)
* Murrayfield Ice Rink (Edinburgh)
* Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes
* Planet Ice Silverdome (Basingstoke)
* Wales National Ice Rink (Cardiff 1986-2006)
* Whitley Bay Ice Rink (Newcastle 2010–11)

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