HARRINGTON, DE- The Delaware State Fairgrounds announced Friday that the Centre Ice Arena will permanently close in May, leaving skaters and families across Delmarva stunned and heartbroken. In response, determined parents and community members are uniting to fight back, vowing to do whatever it takes to save their beloved rink.
Melanie Gove, a concerned parent, expressed her disappointment over the sudden closure.
"It's very disappointing. And it was very sudden. So, you know, it's just hard because we weren't really given an opportunity to fight for this at all."
Danny Aguilar, the General Manager of the Delaware State Fairgrounds, explained that the decision to close the rink follows rising operational costs and a significant mechanical failure last November, which they say is beyond their ability to recover from.
"The board's decision was to look at all the financials we looked at over the last 22 years. So it certainly was a sudden decision for us. We never anticipated this type of size of a mechanical failure."
While the rink will remain open until the end of the season, Melanie says the impact of its closure is already being felt in the community.
"I had talked with my son, and it broke my heart. He said, 'Mom, I don't know how to do anything else.' These kids have been together forever, and the community gets so much from this rink."
In response to the decision, parents, skaters, and others in the community are rallying together to take action.
A petition to save the rink was created following the news of the closure and has already gathered more than 3,500 signatures, with support pouring in from Delaware and beyond.
Eric Romero, a parent whose children have used the rink for years, says the overwhelming support for the cause shows how needed this rink is in their community.
"I was really surprised at the, the, level of support, the positivity that people have gotten behind this. And, and really, people are upset because of how this decision was made. It draws attention to how big this rink has an impact on the local community."
Officials from the Delmarva Raptors tell us they are scheduled to meet with the Delaware State Fairgrounds tonight to gather more information about their future and continue their efforts.