Thousands of people have signed a petition to save a Cardiff ice rink following proposals to turn it into a leisure facility. Proposals have been put forward to turn the second ice pad at Ice Arena Wales into an "alternative family leisure attraction" with a 'clip and climb' facility, according to an agenda from a Cardiff Council scrutiny committee meeting held in January.
Ice Arena Wales, which forms part of the International Sports Village in Cardiff, has two ice rinks previously used by members of the public, ice hockey team the Cardiff Devils and figure skaters. The second ice pad was closed as a result of the lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, and Cardiff Council says that it has not been used consistently for a number of years.
In an agenda report ahead of an economy and culture scrutiny committee meeting on January 18, it said the council had received a recommendation to progress dialogue with a preferred operator for Ice Arena Wales, with further negotiations required to refine details of the lease agreement. The arena is in full ownership of the council and it was proposed to "move quickly towards completing a lease agreement with a preferred bidder" to establish the facility's future. A lease agreement is now due to be signed "imminently".
