News from Utica, Shelby Township, Macomb Township, Clinton Township, Mount Clemens
Suburban Ice will be the home ice for Utica, Eisenhower and Romeo Highs' hockey teams.Skaters hit the ice in Macomb Township
Suburban Ice plans to make open skating a priority at facility with 2 NHL-sized ice rinks.
Pete Statkus of Macomb Township skates with his daughter Samantha. The facility also includes a pro shop.
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MACOMB TOWNSHIP -- In the movie "Field of Dreams," Kevin Costner's character built a baseball field on an Iowa cornfield in response to a voice that told him, "If you build it, he will come." Suburban Ice has done the same thing here, except with a hockey rink.
Ryan Pardoski, manager of Suburban Ice-Macomb, said he planned for more than 1,000 people to come through the doors when it opened to the public Aug. 27.
"We're kind of like the ice rink of dreams," Pardoski said. "We're in the middle of a farm field at this point. The potential is there, and it's something that's going to grow with the community."
Suburban Ice-Macomb has two National Hockey League-size (200 by 85 feet) ice rinks in its 70,000-square-foot building, which is designed to be expanded to three rinks should the demand for ice time increase. One rink has seating for 750 and the other for 350.
The facility also includes a pro shop that sells hockey and skating equipment, the Centre Ice Cafe, a game room, a conference/party room, 10 locker rooms and parking for 300 vehicles.
Although Suburban Ice offers open skating and figure skating classes, hockey is the main attraction at the new rink.
"It starts with our Learn to Skate program," Pardoski said. "As the kids progress, they can either go to hockey or figure skating.
"If they go to hockey, we have a FUNdamental league, then the Macomb Hockey Club program."
Officials at Romeo, Eisenhower and Utica high schools have decided to play home games and practice at the new facility.
Utica's team made the move from the busy Great Lakes Sports Center in Fraser.
"Here at Macomb, it's much closer to the team, and we were able to get ice time more conducive to the team," said Utica hockey coach Michael Nye.
"Being that Macomb is a brand-new facility, they have gone out of their way to try to accommodate the hockey programs to the point where they already have our names on the boards. They're really reaching out to the high school programs."
Nye gives the new building high marks. "It's fantastic," he said. "They did a really nice job with the facility. It's a great place to go to for fans and teams alike."
Suburban Ice-Macomb also offers hockey leagues for adults, but Pardoski stressed that open skating will always be a priority.
"We want to be part of the community," he said. "Part of that is offering open skates."
When the Suburban Ice company was founded in the 1970s, it offered hockey clinics around the Metro area. The company now operates five rinks.
Tim Keenan is a Metro Detroit freelance writer.
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