For more than six years, ice skates in Central Virginia have been gathering dust after the closure of Main Street Arena in downtown Charlottesville.
Well, ice skaters and hockey players rejoice: A Charlottesville-based team calling itself Project Phoenix has announced plans and submitted a special-use permit to construct a new rink in Ruckersville just north of the city.
Documents submitted to the Greene County Planning Commission show a limited liability corporation going by Ice Park Holdings intends to construct a 32,000-square-foot, 200-seat rink off U.S. 29 near a Food Lion grocery store and Harley-Davidson motorcycle shop.
Ice Park Holdings shares a principal address with Charlottesville investment firm Harren Equity Partners.
While early in the design phase, land has already been acquired for the project on Deerfield Drive off 29.
“Assuming the zoning is approved there will likely be a year of study before a site plan is submitted,” Greene County Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Jim Frydl told The Daily Progress.
The rink would be a desirable addition to the neighborhood, Ice Park Holdings said in its request for a special-use permit.
“Rather than competing against the existing businesses, it should bring new customers and traffic from areas beyond their current service areas,” reads the request.
Project Phoenix took to Facebook to celebrate the recent acquisition of the land.
“As part of the land acquisition process, we have moved one step closer, and although work is commencing and numerous hurdles remain to be addressed, we wish to share this recent achievement,” reads a Dec. 18 post.
It will still be some time before shovels hit the ground and blades hit the ice.
“The owners have a lot to accomplish before the dream becomes a reality," said Frydl, "but requesting the zoning and purchasing the property are significant steps towards the finish line."
The Greene County Planning Commission plans to hold a public hearing on the proposed rink’s special-use permit Jan. 15.
Much of Central Virginia has gone without a year-round ice rink since Main Street Arena closed in April 2018. It was a fixture of the eastern terminus of the city’s Downtown Mall since 1996, hosting not only skating and hockey games but festivals and other gatherings.
Its closure made way for the construction of the CODE office building.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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