Icehouse in the Media

The Age
15th December, 2009

New ice centre gets its skates on
By Daniel Ziffer

THE freezing floor of Melbourne’s Icehouse is a cold signal that the winter sports centre is close to completion.

Due to open before the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February, the $60 million centre in Docklands will house two rinks and be ready to host ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, curling and the most common Australian ice pursuit – stumbling around awkwardly trying not to break your wrists.

The chairman of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, Geoff Henke, was showing off the partly constructed centre yesterday, chuffed at the main rink bearing his name.

“I’m very honoured at that,” he said. “In the days I was playing hockey, the referees were doing their darndest to get me off the ice and in the sin bin.”

The six-time Chef de Mission to the winter games motioned up to the words on the wall.

“If only some of those refs could see up there, the ‘Henke Rink’,” he added.

Victorian ice lovers are currently cramped in two ageing facilities in Bendigo and Oakleigh. The new centre is located next to the ill-fated Southern Star Observation Wheel, but looks as if it might actually work.

Herald Sun
15th December, 2009

Skates on, Icehouse will rock Docklands
By Peter Familari

MELBOURNE’S reputation as the world’s greatest sports city will receive another boost when the world’s largest ice sports centre opens at Docklands early next year.

The $58 million development at Waterfront City will have two Olympic-size rinks and will offer recreational skating every day of the year from 6am until late at night.

Ice Sports Australia director Andrew Shelton said the new Ice House would become the state’s headquarters for ice sports and ice skating.

“It’s wonderfully, centrally located for the people of Melbourne and will be a great entertainment hub, but will also provide opportunities for ice sports and skating that just hasn’t really existed in Melbourne,” Mr Shelton said.

From planning to completion the Icehouse has taken 10 years.

“The first pile was driven here 12 months ago but the planning has taken 10 years. It really is exciting,” Mr Shelton said.

One of the two rinks has been named in honour of former Victorian ice hockey champion and leading winter sports administrator Geoffrey Henke. “This is the place where, with proper pathways and programs, it will lead up to state champions and Olympic champions.

“All that stuff will happen when you introduce skaters to these things. It was what was missing from Melbourne,” he said.

The 1000-seat stadium, opening in time for the start of the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February, will host ice hockey, figure skating and speed skating events.

Herald Sun
18th December, 2009

Almost on ice
By Chris de Kretser and Katherine Firkin

MELBOURNE’S team in the Australian Ice Hockey League will call the new $58 million Icehouse at Docklands home.

The Ice, which made it to the AIHL semi-finals this year, will leave its base at the Olympic Ice Skating Centre in Oakleigh for the twin-rink development that will open within several weeks – fittingly, before the Winter Olympics flame is lit in Vancouver on February 13 (Australian time).

“We’ll be running all the Ice Hockey Victoria programs from here,” said Andrew Shelton, the Ice Sports Australia director.

“Melbourne Ice will train here and play here. Hockey will move all their activity here.”

The 1000-seat stadium, at Waterfront City, will also host figure skating and speed skating.

Melbourne Leader
21st December, 2009

Geoff put on ice

MELBOURNE’S coolest new attraction is about to open at Docklands.

ING Real Estate Development Australia last week gave the media a glimpse inside its new $58 million Icehouse, a dual-rink ice centre at Waterfront City.

Opening early next year, it will be the largest ice sports centre in the Southern Hemisphere, housing the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia.

With stadium seating for 1000 people, the facility will host national and international ice hockey, ice skating, figure skating and speed skating events.

The Icehouse will be open 364 days a year for recreational skaters, with entry costing $18.50 for adults and $14.50 for children.

The 7500sq m development has function rooms and an audio-visual system enabling it to double as an entertainment venue.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia chairman Geoff Henke, a former Australian ice hockey player, visited the centre last week to witness the main arena be officially named in his honour.