Moray Leisure Centre’s ice rink celebrates packed reopening event
Moray Leisure Centre’s chief executive urged the community to “support its ice rink” at a packed reopening night on Friday.
A delighted John O’Kane was present as 163 people took to the ice at the official reopening event after months closed.
After a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 7.30pm, the lights were turned off and one of the rink’s popular ‘disco nights’ got underway.
11-year-old Leah Kerridge, of Seafield Primary School, was one of the youngsters present. She summed up the feelings of many when she said: “I don’t know what I’d do without the rink.”
Leah is one of many ice hockey players who are looking forward to the return of matches to Elgin - with her first game back scheduled for November 1.
Centre chief John O’Kane is equally as excited - and was pleased to see a good turnout on Friday.
However, he was keen to stress that the next six months will be key and the centre needs the support of its community.
He said: “It's good to get everyone back on the ice.
“We are probably going to see our busiest spell between now and April and we need to get everybody in Moray supporting the ice rink over that period of time.
“We need to generate more income to help cover rising costs.
“We are confident that with a good start today we'll see that income rise over the next six months.
“Moray's got an opportunity to support the ice rink. The message, now the ice rink is reopened, is to get down and use your rink, enjoy the opportunities that are here and help us generate the revenue we need to make the rink successful long term.”
Mr O’Kane thanked Richard Lochhead, who he said was “key” in helping the centre come up with a better way of managing energy costs.
He also thanked Tim Eagle, and all of Moray’s councillors, for helping support the ice rink, before adding: “There is a challenge to generate more revenue.
“But with the response we have had and what we expect over the winter, we are comfortable that we're heading in the right direction.
“We just really need the ice rink to be used at capacity as much as possible.”
Also present at the opening night were German visitors from Landshut - including members of Eislaufverein Landshut, a German club who play in the country’s second highest ice hockey league, DEL2.
Mr O’Kane added: “There is a new hockey facility being opened in Landshut and we are trying to establish a link between the club and our ice hockey club.
“There may be an opportunity for some young people to take part in some form of exchange - but we are at a very early stage.”