The new facility was designed to encourage physical activity in the community. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
London has a new double Olympic skating center following a £30m investment from the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
The goal is to encourage physical activity and community among the local population.
In addition to the ice rinks, it has a large gym and dance studio, as well as community spaces and a cafe.
Designed by architects FaulkerBrowns, The Lee Valley Ice Center will open on Saturday 17 June under the management of GLL’s Better brand.
The development at the site of the Old Lee Valley Ice Center has also received funding from the London Borough of Waltham Forest and is expected to add around £1.5m to the local economy each year.
It is also predicted to attract half a million visitors annually, double the number of the previous facility.
The centre, which was completed under budget, is one of only three venues in the UK to have two Olympic-sized rinks and the only one in the south. The others are the National Ice Center in Nottingham and Sheffield Ice.
The ice center will be open seven days a week from 6.00am to 11.00pm.
The building is surrounded by £1.5 million of landscaping, planting and environmental improvements and has been planned as a starting point for exploring the nearby open spaces of Lee Valley Regional Park.
The building has strong eco-credentials, with solar and photovoltaic systems and water-saving rinks that will be cheaper to run.
The center will offer public sessions where everyone can try skating, sessions from top coaches, ice dancing, synchronized skating, ice hockey and ice discos, as well as community engagement.
Sean Dawson, CEO of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, said: It replaces our much-loved old venue, which has served the community for 37 years as a space for people of all ages to meet, socialize and exercise. I am delighted that we were able to go as far as what the old location offered and that we are opening this new center less than two years after construction began. We are excited to see the communities here enjoy all that the center has to offer and for it to become the home of the next generation of skaters.”
Booking is required for all skates on the opening day, when everyone will be able to skate for £1.
About the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is the statutory authority for sport, recreation, conservation and open spaces through the 26-mile Lee Valley Regional Park, which follows the River Lee from the Thames, east and north of London to Essex and Hertfordshire. .
Established by an Act of Parliament, the organization has over 50 years of experience in the development and operation of sports venues and parks.
Today, the organisation’s 10,000 acres of land include a diverse mix of heritage sites, nature reserves and green spaces, including eight Sites of Special Scientific Interest, as well as sports venues, campsites, marinas and parks. The portfolio attracts eight million visits annually.
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority owns three London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues: Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Center at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Lee Valley White Water Center in Hertfordshire.