Frozen in Time: Columbia Still Lacks Home Ice   

Plans for an ice rink on ice for now. 

Years ago, when the Washington Park Ice Arena in Jefferson City offered a free opportunity for kids to lace up some ice skates and get on the ice, Sam Fleury and his wife Ann took their children, 5-year-old Ava and 3-year-old William, to try it out. With that first chance to glide across the ice, they were instantly hooked. Eleven years later, Ava, now 16, and William, now 14, have both found success on the ice, competing both individually and as a pair.  

As the father of competitive skaters who are on the ice multiple times each week, Fleury knows that ice time is at a premium. Between public skating sessions, figure skating, hockey, speed skating, synchronized skating, an adaptive skating program, lessons and camps, Fleury says the Washington Park rink is “busy all day every day.” Add in a weekend hockey tournament or two that closes the ice for other activities, and the need for additional sheets of ice in mid-Missouri amplifies.  

Despite being home to the championship Mizzou Club Hockey team and competitive skaters, Columbia itself does not have an ice-skating rink. But the lack of ice facility does not equate to a lack of interest in a facility by both the city and Columbia residents.  

“The possibility of having an ice rink in Columbia could be a game-changer for us,” Fleury says. “If there was a rink in Columbia, it would ease the burden of finding ice time, and would be a huge help to our local skaters.”  

An Ongoing Conversation  

There is a long history related to the planning and funding of an ice rink in Columbia, says Gabe Huffington, Columbia Parks and Recreation director. 

“Columbia has only had one ice rink in operation and it closed in 1981,” Huffington says. “Since that time, the city has looked at multiple options related to the funding, construction, and long-term operations of an ice rink.”  

Though there have been various proposals over the years, both from the city and from private funders, a new ice rink has not become a reality in Columbia.  

Through the city’s research, it learned that bringing an ice rink to Columbia could be cost prohibitive.  

“The biggest challenges related to the addition of an ice rink in Columbia relates to the cost of construction and funding for long-term facility operations,” Huffington says. “The cost of an ice rink in 2024 could range from $8 million up to $30 million depending on the design of the facility, available site infrastructure, and desired amenities in the facility. In order to construct a facility such as an ice rink, the city would need broad citizen support and long-term financial support for this particular facility due to operating expenses and expected revenues.”

The Road to Ice  

While the city is interested in the possibility of constructing a local ice rink, Huffington explains, there is much due diligence that has to precede construction.  

“Our first step to determine if an ice rink in our community could become a reality is to do a feasibility study,” he says. “This would allow us to look at all aspects of a project of this magnitude. The study would provide us with information related to the cost of construction, staffing plan, operational costs, analysis of available space for construction, and community support.”  

The results of a feasibility study would be presented to the City Council, which would then determine how the construction of an ice rink fits with other priorities for Parks and Recreation facilities in the community.    

Huffington says the city also needs to consider the needs and desires of Columbia’s residents.  

“We would also want to add ice rink questions to our next parks and recreation citizen survey to gauge current interest for an ice rink,” he says.  

The last Parks and Recreation Citizen Survey was conducted in 2015. At that time, the survey concluded that 23 percent of households in Columbia indicated a need for ice skating facilities, and 42 percent of households indicated support for a permanent ice-skating facility and for a seasonal ice-skating facility. The same survey revealed that 17 percent of households indicated they were willing to fund a permanent indoor ice-skating facility with revenues from the 1/8-cent park sales tax, while 9 percent of households indicated they were willing to fund a seasonal, outdoor skating facility with revenue from the same sales tax.  

Should the city determine that an ice rink has ample community support and aligns with priorities for recreational facilities in the city, discussions related to how a project of this scope is funded and the timeline for construction will then follow, Huffington says.   

“For example, would this require a ballot decision by our citizens to provide funding or require the city to enter into a public/private partnership for the facility?” Huffington notes. “We would also have to weigh the construction of this facility versus other parks and recreation projects such as an outdoor synthetic turf sports complex, indoor swimming facility, or the construction of an additional community center.”  

The discussion about cost doesn’t end with finding the funds for construction.  

“We would also need to have extensive conversations with City Council and citizens related to facility expenses, expected revenues, and the pricing related to the facility,” Huffington says. “We do not have the ability to subsidize this type of facility and would need to make sure revenues can match expenses.”  

Frozen on the Wish List 

Huffington says Parks and Recreation has heard the citizens who are interested in bringing an ice rink to Columbia, and the department itself shares that interest, should it prove to be financially feasible and sustainable.  

“We are often asked about key facilities that are absent from the Columbia Parks and Recreation inventory of recreation facilities. An ice rink comes up often as a discussion topic,” he adds. “We know that it would be a popular amenity for our citizens and visitors to Columbia.” 

He said the department seeks to meet citizen needs through parks, trails and recreation facilities, adding that an ice rink is “requested periodically” by citizens and a facility that would be “a key attraction for the city.”  

While the construction of an ice rink is not currently on the agenda, the city remains open to exploring the idea, and it will continue to solicit feedback and gauge community interest. 

“We will continue to look at the addition of an ice rink as a recreation facility, funding sources, and potential community partners,” Huffington says. He expects that an ice rink will be a key discussion item in public input for updating the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan in 2027. 

Holding Out Hope 

While the ice initially sparked Ava and William’s interest, Sam Fleury says figure skating has become a family passion. Ann has committed herself to shuttling the kids to and from the rink for practice, and Fleury currently serves as the president of the figure skating club at Washington Park. As someone immersed in the world of figure skating, Fleury says he is especially excited about the prospect of an ice rink in Columbia, because he has seen the boost other cities get from hosting skating competitions.  

“We’ve traveled to Chicago, Minneapolis, and St. Louis for different events, and there are great opportunities to bring skaters in from around the world if there is ice available,” Fleury says. “Having an ice arena in Columbia would give skaters another chance to practice their trade and allow Columbia to host large scale events, bringing great revenue opportunities for local businesses.”