DOVER, DE- As the Centre Ice Rink in Harrington prepares to close its doors for good this spring, the long-discussed Dover Civic Arena may provide a solution for thousands of skaters scrambling to find a new home.
The Dover Civic Arena, planned to be built in Schutte Park, has been in the works since the Delaware Thunder lost its contract with the Delaware State Fair two years ago. Now, with the closure of Harrington’s rink, the project is gaining renewed focus and urgency.
Charles Pens, CEO of the Delaware Thunder, has been closely involved in the project and views the rink's closure as a catalyst to accelerate the effort.
“We’ve been working on this project for about two years, and now, with Harrington closing, it has pushed us further along."
A website for the Dover Civic Arena was recently launched, offering a preview of the arena and rink’s design.
For those impacted by the Harrington Ice Rink closure, including Delmarva Raptors Coach Eric Eldridge, the project offers hope for the future.
“There’s always a silver lining to things. And, as much as the ice rink closing hurts, there’s always a silver lining. And I think that maybe that helped push the agenda for the Dover Civic Arena to possibly get the ball rolling a little bit quicker,” Eldridge said.
The Dover Civic Arena project, which is still in the planning stages, is expected to be supported by a mix of corporate partners and private investors.
Pens is optimistic about finalizing plans and aims to begin construction soon.
“Our hope is to be up by next fall or winter—that’s an optimistic view," Pens said.
Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen is confident the project can move forward quickly and bring economic benefits to central Delaware, all without placing a financial burden on taxpayers.
“The best thing about it is that there should be no cost to the taxpayers. But there will be a lot of beneficial things, economic development-wise, such as job creation and ancillary things that will go along with a brick-and-mortar ice arena here in central Delaware."
The Dover Civic Arena Group tells us they plan to meet with state leaders on February 4th, followed by a meeting on February 6th with organizations impacted by the Harrington rink closure to discuss the future of the project.