New Dublin Ice Rink

KevinMc

similar to what the Dundalk Ice Dome charges, I wouldn't be surprised if the they have somthing similar to the "recession session" in Dundalk when certain blocks of the timetable are reduced to €5

knuth

KevinMc wrote: »

similar to what the Dundalk Ice Dome charges, I wouldn't be surprised if the they have somthing similar to the "recession session" in Dundalk when certain blocks of the timetable are reduced to €5

Dundalk is €9 for 1.5 - 3 hours*, how can you compare that with €14 per hour from Charlestown?

Please do imply that Charlestown figures are similiar Dundalks, it's folk like you that have the prices inflated as it is.

* http://www.dundalkicedome.com/index.php/public-skating/timetable.html

Paulw

lordlame wrote: »

Dundalk is €9 for 1.5 - 3 hours*, how can you compare that with €14 per hour from Charlestown?

Please do imply that Charlestown figures are similiar Dundalks, it's folk like you that have the prices inflated as it is.

* http://www.dundalkicedome.com/index.php/public-skating/timetable.html

From the website link you posted, at the bottom --

All prices Includes Skate Rental Adults: €13.00

Yes, there are special hours/days when it's €9 though.

knuth

The sessions are still 30 - 90 mins longer though. Also, you forgot the free wifi they have

Paulw

Charlestown also have free wi-fi.

And, of course, the transport from Dublin to Dundalk which will take you that extra 45-60 min. :rolleyes:

Personally, I don't skate, so the price doesn't bother me.

MoNsToUr

still though at 14euro an hour that is PRETTY steep as you think that they would have seen that those prices don't entice people to come in and skate not even people who might be curious as its too dear especially if its a family of 4 or 5 people its pretty steep to be asking people for that much { altho they might have a family discount set up} wonder if it will be cheaper for people with their own skates or is it the same price

pip-irl

anyone who was around when dundalk opened will remeber paying the full wack even when the place was wedge before they broght in these cheap rates during the day because no one was going skating any more at these times thats the only reason why they have a 9euro seasion.They are only trying to milk as much money as the can

Paulw

Hopefully prices will decrease, especially if demand declines.

Maybe it would be worth people's while contacting Charlestown management and complain about the price?

KevinMc

lordlame wrote: »

Please do imply that Charlestown figures are similiar Dundalks, it's folk like you that have the prices inflated as it is.

* http://www.dundalkicedome.com/index.php/public-skating/timetable.html

That was a bit nasty, I'll be going out of my way to check out the place and if the facility is temporary I would like nothing more than it to prove popular enough to justify it being made permanent. If it does host IIHL in the future I will be a regular visitor for matches. I was pointing out that even at €14 there will probably be cheaper (most likely during the day) sessions, like the IceDome has. And if not you could always go to Dundalk

Maybe they will reduce the price if it is unpopular too, and maybe complaining will help. Also if it is more expensive than the majority of people are willing to pay then at least you'll get more room on the ice. I've seen me leaving the IceBowl in Belfast after 30mins cos it was TOO BUSY!

knuth

KevinMc wrote: »

That was a bit nasty, I'll be going out of my way to check out the place and if the facility is temporary I would like nothing more than it to prove popular enough to justify it being made permanent. If it does host IIHL in the future I will be a regular visitor for matches. I was pointing out that even at €14 there will probably be cheaper (most likely during the day) sessions, like the IceDome has. And if not you could always go to Dundalk

Maybe they will reduce the price if it is unpopular too, and maybe complaining will help. Also if it is more expensive than the majority of people are willing to pay then at least you'll get more room on the ice. I've seen me leaving the IceBowl in Belfast after 30mins cos it was TOO BUSY!

Hmm, good point. I submit with the pricing then.

I've been to Dundalk several times and it's quite empty. I know it's only an hour away but I don't enjoy travelling that road for some reason

T-K-O

From the website

Some Amazing Facts About Charlestown On Ice:

• Over 80,000 people will go ice skating at Charlestown on Ice from June 18th until close!
• The rink is 1000 square metres. That's over 10,000 square feet of ice-skating fun!
• It takes about 13 minutes to skate around the whole Charlestown On Ice skating-rink
• You will be able to learn how to ice skate or play ice hockey at Charlestown On Ice
• Kids can also sleigh around the rink as well as ice skate at Charlestown On Ice
• The earliest ice skates which were made of bone were found in Sweden in the 9th Century
• The highest speeds recorded at an ice rink were 48 kmph, that's about 30 mph!
• Over 480,000 pints of water were frozen to make the ice
• Figure skating was invented by American Jackie Haines in 1876
• The ice at Charlestown On Ice is 1.2 inches thick
• The official Olympic ice rink size is 100 x 200 feet

Note the bullet point that I have highlighted

knuth

I noticed that too. 13 minutes to skate around the rink? Is COI the new unfound Continent?

lushballs

13 minutes to skate around the rink?? Are they freezing the Tolka River for this?
Any more updates about when it is opening?
Thx

pip-irl

yeah its opening on friday this week. also heard an advert for summer hockey league

hoser expat

from their website

Charlestown Chiefs Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey is a superstar sport in Canada, US and over 20 countries around the world. Ice Hockey is Northern Ireland’s Largest Spectator Sport with an average crowd of 4000 per game and 120,000 viewers per season. NOW, Charlestown will become the home of this Über Cool Sport in the Republic of Ireland with the full support of the Irish Ice Hockey Association. The Charlestown Chiefs will be the home team and with capacity for 500 people and a full size professional ice hockey arena, this is an ice cool opportunity not to be missed to come in right at the start of this exciting journey!



Sounds great....since moving here from Canada I've really missed ice hockey (playing and watching), so I'll definately check this out.

Oh, and who the hell takes 13 minutes to skate around a rink?

Edit. Just had a look at their photos....that's nowhere near regulation ice hockey sized.

hoser expat

I don't get this....the press releases say full sized Olympic regulation ice hockey rink, which suggests to me that it's a fairly permanent structure. Yet on various places on their website they say it is June to September only. Some photos on their website show a great permanent rink, others show a small temporary rink.

Very confusing.

T-K-O

hoser expat wrote: »

from their website

Charlestown Chiefs Ice Hockey

Ice Hockey is a superstar sport in Canada, US and over 20 countries around the world. Ice Hockey is Northern Ireland’s Largest Spectator Sport with an average crowd of 4000 per game and 120,000 viewers per season. NOW, Charlestown will become the home of this Über Cool Sport in the Republic of Ireland with the full support of the Irish Ice Hockey Association. The Charlestown Chiefs will be the home team and with capacity for 500 people and a full size professional ice hockey arena, this is an ice cool opportunity not to be missed to come in right at the start of this exciting journey!



Sounds great....since moving here from Canada I've really missed ice hockey (playing and watching), so I'll definately check this out.

Oh, and who the hell takes 13 minutes to skate around a rink?

Edit. Just had a look at their photos....that's nowhere near regulation ice hockey sized.

Those pictures are not the actual rink in Charlestown. The rink is going to be slightly smaller than NHL but hey its a start.

Hey are you playing with a team - PM me if you're interested in playing.

Saruman

As far as I know its temporary and the site is supposed to be for an expansion such as a cinema.

KevinMc

Well most of the reading on the site and in various places says that it will close in January next year. Although this is only have way through the 09/10 IIHL season so it will be interesting to see what happens in january, maybe they plan to have something else by then....

Anyway great to see that it actually happening and I'll defo be down to check it out next week.

hoser expat

T-K-O wrote: »

Hey are you playing with a team - PM me if you're interested in playing.

I used to play recreationally with a bunch of college mates back in Canada, but it's been 20 years since I played with any talent. Not sure the heart would take it these days. Plus I didn't bring any equipment except skates with me when I moved.

Thaks anyway!

KevinMc

hoser expat wrote: »

I used to play recreationally with a bunch of college mates back in Canada, but it's been 20 years since I played with any talent. Not sure the heart would take it these days. Plus I didn't bring any equipment except skates with me when I moved.

Thaks anyway!

This is the point of the IIHL, the league has only run for two seasons and lots for people from the Dundalk area has taken up watching and most importantly playing. There are two Divisions, the IIHL and the IIHL DD (Development Division).

The IIHL is designed for the more experienced players, either those who have experience playing in the old Dundonald teams or have moved here from overseas etc and for those who eventually make the step up from the DD league.

The DD league is non contact and plays 2x15min roling clock periods followed by a final 20 min period. Most of the players that participate in this league have only been skating for 2 years and this league will suit almost anyone.

Off the Ice the IIHA is a voluntry organisation that tries it's best to run the sport at both levels. They urgently require volunteers for match day, match reporting and web content. Anyone with time to spare and with any background that can help should also consider this if playing is not for you. But please contact the teams and see if there is a training session for a team in a league that suits you.

KevinMc

hey everyone, would I be right in saying the right has been open for a week and I was wondering if any boards.ir forumites has got round to checking it out? Has anyone heard any new from it about making it permanent etc? and if any new dubliners has been bitten by the hockey bug?

Paulw

While I only live 2 min away, I haven't been over to it yet.

There is no sign at all of it being permanent, and I'd be surprised if it is. They had plans for other uses for all that space (including a cinema and more shops). I guess this is a cheap and quick way to use the space and make some money from it.

I must have a wander over some evening and have a look.

T-K-O

I was up there the other night. It looks great. They need to sort out some teething problems but nothing major.

While this facility is not permanent I would be shocked if they built more shops on the site. The shopping center is like a ghost town.

KevinMc

Well I hope to get down to it within the next few weeks for a look around. Any sign of reduced slots or is it doing a good bit of business at the minute? Would also be interest to hear if they are doing the learn to skate and learn to play sessions, similar to that of the ice dome?

Paulw

I was in the shopping centre the other day, but didn't have time to go to the ice rink. There was a decent stream of people going in to the rink.

A good few people in the area are talking about it, but I think many are waiting until the kids are off school and they have a bit more time.

MysticalSoul

KevinMc wrote: »

Would also be interest to hear if they are doing the learn to skate and learn to play sessions, similar to that of the ice dome?

Yes they are. I started the beginners slot of that last night, which is a six week program. I was talking to the instructor afterwards last night about it being temporary, and she said the guy who part owns it plays ice hockey himself, so she reckons if business is good for the first six months, they would probably build on it more, to make it a more permanent thing.

KevinMc

Well thats good, It looks like it could be a testing the waters thing but hopefully when the season starts then it'll get that area of Dublin into the Ice hockey. I hope a lot more people take up the skating and playing or even just volunteering for helping out when the IIHL gets started. For years Irish Ice Hockey began and ended in Belfast and Dundalk for increasing the amount of talent the Team Ireland has.

The one draw back about Northern Players is they can be recruited to play for GB, walton and Mark morrison both born in Belfast and walton plays for GB and Morrisons is the star of team Ireland. so it's important that southern players are encouraged to get involved as they can't be tempted to the 'better' GB team.

The Under 18s are a good mix of both north and south which is great to see and they came home from the world championships with a silver medal. And many of the southern players had only been playing for the 2 years the Dundalk Ice Dome was open so it's a great achievement and shows we have the talent here in this country. The biggest problem is that ireland is saturated with sports and it's really hard for the minority sports like Ice hockey to get media coverage. The Belfast Giants are fighting for column inches so it's pretty obvious the IIHL are along way from getting any meaning coverage.

anyway, looking forward to getting down there, hopefully for a skate before the IIHL starts.

MysticalSoul

It's a shame I haven't heard too much about it on the radio, papers etc, unlike when Dundalk opened - I heard of it from plenty of sources. The two instructors at the lessons, also work out of Dundalk. Someone asked her about when the next series of lessons would start, and from what the instructor said, that would be mid-end Aug/Sept time, so sounds promising. I arrived early for the lesson on Monday, and the rink was actually busy for the public session just before it, not mad busy like the RDS at Christmas, thankfully. I hope that they have sense, and don't allow that many people on if the demand warrants it.

I am trying to remain optimistic anyway, that it will become a more permanent venture

hockey1

Just to note the rink is open and functional in the charlestown shoppng complex you may get to the ice rink by entering the shopping centre and exting via the house of colour exit the rink is covered by a marqee and is 1750 sq m which is a full size NHL rink they are in the process of starting off ther learn to play learn to skate adults and children lessone and all details are available on the web r at the box office