Skaters in West Hartford finally got their ice back Monday as Veterans Memorial Skating Rink reopened at 5 p.m. following extensive upgrades, including demolition and replacement of the refrigeration-room floor and equipment. The $4 million overhaul touched nearly every corner of the rink at 56 Buena Vista Road, from the refrigeration system beneath the ice to the boards, glass and netting surrounding it.
The timeline for just how long the rink sat dark depends on who's describing it. According to We-Ha, Recreation Specialist Ean Gorlick said the facility was closed for six and a half months, while Patch reported the rink reopened following four months of major renovations. Both outlets agree the closure began March 30 and that the doors swung back open Monday, Oct. 19.
New Ice, New Systems Throughout the Building
The work went well beyond a fresh sheet of ice. Patch reported that crews installed a new, energy-efficient refrigeration system along with new piping and concrete flooring, while also replacing the rink's dasher boards, glass and protective netting. Locker rooms, public areas and restrooms also received new flooring as part of the project.
The scope of the project reflects its price tag. The renovation was a $4 million investment financed through bonds as part of the Town of West Hartford's Capital Improvement Program, according to the same We-Ha report that first announced the closure. The rink's full-size sheet, an NHL-standard 200-by-85-foot surface, remains the centerpiece of what the town describes as a temperature-controlled, fully enclosed arena, per the Town of West Hartford, which also touts the rink's RinkSide Cafe and pro shop as part of its year-round draw.
Conflicting Numbers on How Many Skaters Use the Rink
Just how many people pass through the rink each year is another point of disagreement in the public record. One We-Ha report pegged annual usage at approximately 350,000 people, while an earlier We-Ha article, published around the time of the closure announcement, put the figure closer to 35,000 people annually for skating, hockey games and other special events. Either way, the facility operates year-round, offering public skating, lessons, hockey and figure-skating camps, leagues, advanced sessions, ice rentals and party-room rentals, and it supports local school and youth hockey programs.
While the rink was shuttered, local skaters had to scatter elsewhere to stay on the ice. Hockey players skated at rinks in Newington, Simsbury and Bolton, among other locations, while figure skaters found ice time in Cromwell and Newington during the closure.
Programs Resume This Week, With More Planned
The rink's Learn to Skate program was scheduled to begin Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to Patch's report on the reopening. Facility Manager Peter Montesano and Gorlick had been named as the rink's facility manager and recreation specialist, respectively, in We-Ha's coverage of the closure announcement back in March.
The reopening fits into a broader pattern playing out at ice rinks elsewhere this year. On Nantucket, the rink known as Nantucket Ice returned to full operations in July 2025 after installing its own new refrigeration system, according to ack.net. Not every renovation story ends smoothly, though: in Washington, D.C., some skaters and hockey programs said their access had shrunk after Fort Dupont Ice Arena's renovation, as reported by WTOP, and The Guardian has documented a wider national trend of mall ice rinks disappearing altogether, including Portland's Lloyd Center rink.
For now, West Hartford's rebuilt rink is back in business, with its new refrigeration system, boards and glass ready for the skating season ahead. With Learn to Skate underway this week, the facility is set to resume its role as a year-round hub for the town's skaters, hockey players and figure-skating programs.
