Dozens of figure skaters, hockey players, coaches and parents packed into Bendwood Park in Bunker Hill Village on Sunday to push back against the planned closure of Memorial City Ice Rink. The rink, a fixture at Memorial City Mall for more than two decades, is scheduled to shut down operations on July 31, 2026. Protesters warned that the decision would displace teams, disrupt lessons and wipe out a hard-earned community built around life on the ice.
Protesters gather at Bendwood Park
Chants of “save our rink” rang out as families swapped stories about first goals, first jumps and lifelong friendships forged at Memorial City. "I don't think people realize how big the community is," said Amy Good, a hockey parent and coach, and figure skater Amelia Durham told organizers the rink felt "like a second home," as reported by Click2Houston. Organizers said dozens turned out for the weekend protest, aiming to push mall ownership to offer a replacement rink or a solid relocation plan.
Mall owner cites entrance relocation
MetroNational, which owns Memorial City Mall, told local outlets the rink must close because a planned relocation and reconstruction of the mall’s main entrance would make it impossible to sustain the specialized refrigeration needed to keep the ice surface intact. The company confirmed the rink will "conclude operations on Friday, July 31, 2026" and said usable equipment would be donated to other facilities, according to ABC13. MetroNational also said the rink will not take fall-season registrations as it prepares for the construction work.
Petition mounts online
A community petition to save the rink is picking up steam online, with the page showing about 4,997 verified supporters as of publication. The Change.org campaign calls on MetroNational to either keep the current rink open or commit to a replacement facility during redevelopment, and organizers say they are planning more public outreach to keep the pressure on. Petition details are posted on Change.org.
Why skaters say the Galleria can't replace Memorial City
Coaches and parents caution that nearby rinks are already heavily booked and that longer commutes could push some families out of skating altogether. Sugar Land Ice and other local operators say they are bracing for extra demand, but teams warn that schedules and capacity will be tight, according to FOX 26 Houston. The Galleria's Polar Ice rink measures about 80 by 180 feet, smaller than the NHL standard of roughly 85 by 200 feet, which means some regulation games and higher-level training cannot easily shift there, according to facility specifications on Wikipedia and standard rink-dimension references.
A wider pattern
Local reporting notes that Memorial City's planned closure fits into a broader pattern of ice facilities under strain from redevelopment projects, aging refrigeration systems and rising operating costs. Community leaders say losing the rink would take away one of the few year-round ice venues in the region and make lessons, leagues and casual skating tougher to access. See local coverage for examples of similar closures and community responses, including reporting by Click2Houston.
The fight ahead
Organizers say they plan to use the petition and continued public pressure to push MetroNational and local officials for alternatives before the summer 2026 deadline. Mall management has said it will share future plans for the space once occupied by the rink, while skating groups are already comparing schedules and scouting other rinks to limit the fallout. For now, families say they are bracing for the end of an era and hoping that their last summer on the Memorial City ice doubles as a public reminder of what the rink has meant to the community.
