Ice Center of Erie closing down

May 21--Ice Center of Erie needed extensive repairs, and the cost of those repairs were too much for the owners to bear.

So the Ice Center of Erie3515 McClelland Ave. for nearly six years, is closing the facility.

ICE general manager Steve Tuholski said the rink needed a new heat system, repairs to the entire floor and a new cooling tower, as well as about 2,000 pounds of Freon to recharge the system -- at a total estimated cost of $400,000 to $500,000.

Tuholski said the cost of the floor alone was estimated to be between $300,000 and $400,000.

"It would be a hefty financial toll to get it back up and running," Tuholski said.

The rink's troubles initially began during the winter, when Tuholski said a malfunction or break compromised the heat system under the ice floor.

The lack of heat allowed the frost line to push up toward the ice surface.

Coupled with failed insulation, the surface heaved up and dasher boards pushed away from the ice.

The rink remained open in the winter, but the facility shut down when the cooling tower malfunctioned a few weeks ago. While it was closed, Tuholski said, the dasher boards retracted as much as three inches in some sections.

"Those boards would have come back considerably from where they were," Tuholski said.

Michael Agresti, of Ice Center of Erie, LLC, said he seriously considered making the needed improvements until Thursday, when he learned about the added expense of recharging the system with Freon.

With the cost of Freon being around $20 per pound, Tuholski said, the total investment would be about $40,000. Tuholski said he was informed Monday that the rink would close.

"Once all those numbers finally came in, it was just too much of a financial (burden) for it to stay open," Tuholski said.

Agresti said he publicly expressed a desire to sell the rink about two months ago, but he hasn't determined future plans for the facility.

However, he doesn't believe a new owner would use it as a rink.

He said he hasn't received any interest from the hockey community about purchasing it.

The loss of ICE leaves Erie with three rinks -- Erie Insurance Arena, JMC Ice Arena and Mercyhurst Ice Center.

VICTOR FERNANDES can be reached at 870-1716 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNfernandes.

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