Parents, families, and children devastated after the announcement of the Harrington Ice Rink shutting down operations
HARRINGTON Del. – The Harrington Ice Rink will close its doors in May 2025. This move doesn’t come without a backlash from the community, hoping to bring it back. Skate team students told WMDT the announcement left them feeling helpless.
“This feels horrible to know that we no longer have a home rink. We love all the people I skate with, and it’s hard realizing we might not all skate together again after this season.”
Soaring repair costs and difficult maintenance led the Delaware State Fair’s Board of Directors to make this decision.
The rink is home to all kinds of skaters and activities. Figure skating, youth ice hockey teams, and even the Salisbury University hockey team called it home for years.
Chris Steele volunteers at the rink and said that hundreds of people support the facility. “We have kids that got up this morning at 5 a.m. that live in Ocean Pines, that drove up here from Harrington today for a 7:30 p.m. practice.”
Repairs to the rink will cost $500,000 now, and a further $1 million is needed for future maintenance. President of the Delmarva Raptors youth team, Lance Massey, has tried to gather organizations to chip in on help. However, the board is not cooperating.
“With no options, they’re willing to entertain, it makes this hard to stomach. We’re willing to work together as a group, and all 9 organizations have offered to help, and their answer is simply no.”
The ice rink provided material to parents and families with resources to other skating options in the area. Unfortunately, those options are 50 miles away, if not over to the Western Shore of Maryland. The Skating Director for the Learn to Skate Program, Jerry Santoferrara, said these aren’t realistic solutions.
“Most of these kids started skating because the rink was here, and I don’t think we’ll see people in this area come to a learn-to-skate program if they have to drive 80 or 90 miles.”
Jeffrey Sheehan works as a principal for a local elementary school in Frederica. He has kids involved in activities at the rink, and said when he told his daughter of the announcement, she couldn’t believe it. “I know my youngest daughter’s sentiment when we told her the rink was closing was they can’t close, I grew up there.”
Hope remains among skaters and parents, who are even discussing a petition to the Delaware State Fair this summer. Beth Colona believes closing this rink will shake the Harrington community down to its core.
“It would be an enormous loss for all the kids to not have those teams here, or to not skate with their friends, so it really affects the youth of our area.”
The Delaware State Fair General Manager, Danny Aguilar, released this statement
“Families, it is important to us that we honor them during this transition and ensure they will receive ample time to find a new home before the next season begins in 8 months, and we will be providing informational resources to assist in the transition. With new information coming online today a new option for families to consider would be the proposed Dover Civic Arena, a future home for ice skating programming.”
