Skating Club of Boston proposed facility

[Aceon6]

Just saw this on boston.com

"The Skating Club of Boston announced Thursday it will build a new "world-class, state-of-the art" three-rink indoor ice skating facility on Allston property near the Massachusetts Turnpike it has acquired through a land swap with Harvard University."

The article contains a rendering of the site plan.

Wow! Imagine going to SCOB and not having everybody stuffed into the little locker room? They may have a proper food service, too. Such wonders of the modern age!

[sk9tingfan]

Here's the official announcement:

http://www.scboston.org/press-releas...lston-brighton

[BlueRidge]

That is really great that they are going to be able to build a new facility in the same area as they have been located.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

I can't see the site plan. Is there going to be parking?

[Aceon6]

I can't see the site plan. Is there going to be parking?

Looks like LOTS of it, all around the building. No more "stealing parking" from the Burger King.

[Bonita]

Too bad the new SCOB won't be close to public transportation. The T website lists the closest bus stop at about a half mile.

I will miss the old building. It's very beautiful skating in dappling sunlight or seeing lightening bolts outside.

[kirkbiggestfan]

I am sure they`ll request a closer bus stop. With all the traffic coming to this new facility, the well-connected Harvard folks can get this done in no time.

[ioana]

Hopefully they'll start adding in more adult freestyle sessions now. Would be nice to be able to skate closer to home, even though I really liked Colonial.

[Aceon6]

I will miss the old building. It's very beautiful skating in dappling sunlight or seeing lightening bolts outside.

The drawing shows skylights on the main sheet. I'll have to find out more. I believe I know one of the architects.

[Bonita]

"The drawing shows skylights on the main sheet. I'll have to find out more. I believe I know one of the architects."

That would be awesome. I really love the natural light. Sterritti (SP?) rink in the North End has windows all around, and it's my favorite rink to skate at besides SCOB.

I'm not so sure about getting closer bus service, the T is pretty broke. A half a mile isn't bad, I've walked two miles from transit to skate, but when you're used to the bus stop across the street, you're spoiled.

[Sylvia]

Another article with a quote from Ross Miner: http://bostonherald.com/business/rea...809&position=0

[Aceon6]

Another article with a quote from Ross Miner: http://bostonherald.com/business/rea...809&position=0

I hope the rendering comes up for the folks who couldn't see it in the press release or the boston.com article. Also, this isn't a done deal. The NIMBY's are out in full force, so I probably should reserve celebrations until all the permitting is done.

[Sylvia]

New article with quotes from SCOB executive director Doug Zeghibe: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

[sk9tingfan]

This makes me wonder if SCOB in their 2014 Nationals bid is suggesting that the new facility can be used for the novice and junior events earlier in the week. That means that they only have to rent out the TD BankNorth Garden only for 4 days, unless they have to go back to the dreaded 10 day Nationals schema. Agganis at 7,300 seats is probably way too small and wouldn't accomodate the degree of press and TV coverage required by the event.

Then again, they could also propose going back to Providence, but I don't think that that would fly with USFSA.

[zaphyre14]

The architect's model of the proposed facility has been sitting in the ballet room upstairs at SCOB for well over a year now, so the facility isn't a new idea, just the location. Since I'd heard they were looking at sites as far west as Framingham, I'm just happy that they're staying in Boston.