Icehouse (arena)

The Icehouse[1] (also currently known as O'Brien Icehouse due to naming rights) is an Australian ice sports and entertainment centre, located in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia.[2] It is open to the public 7 days a week and offers an extensive range of educational ice-skating classes for customers, as well as pathways to ice sports.

The Icehouse
O'Brien Icehouse
Former namesNational Ice Sports Centre
Medibank Icehouse (2010–2015)
O'Brien Group Arena (2016–2018)
Location105 Pearl River Road, Docklands, Melbourne, 3008
Coordinates37.8123777°S 144.9355674°E / -37.8123777; 144.9355674
Capacity1,500 (seating)
Surface61 by 30 metres (200 by 98 feet) with a corner radius of 4.2 metres (14 feet)
Opened12 February 2010 (12 February 2010)
Tenants
Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (2010–present)
Australia men's national ice hockey team (2010–present)
Melbourne Ice (Women) (2010–present)
Melbourne Ice (2010–present)
Melbourne Mustangs (2010–present).
Website
obrienicehouse.com.au

Facilities
The Bradbury Rink is open to public skating every day of the week. It is also used for figure skating and curling.

During construction of the Icehouse, it was known as the National Ice Sports Centre.[3] Home of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, it contains two Olympic-sized ice rinks and a specialist winter sports gym.[4][5] Rink 1, which features stadium seating and fully glassed boards suitable for ice hockey, is known as the Henke Rink, named in honour of Australian ice sports champion Geoffrey Henke AO.[6] Rink 2, used mostly for public skating, is named the Bradbury Rink, after the Bradbury family – the most well-known member, Steven Bradbury, was a short-track speedskater who won the 1,000m gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and his father John along with brother Warren were both also heavily involved in ice sports.[7]

The rink is home to both Victorian-based ice hockey teams competing in the Australian Ice Hockey League, the Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs.[8][9] The Icehouse has a capacity of 1,500 people and its facilities include a pro shop, The St Moritz Bar, and the Igloo Café.[10]

3 April 2019, the O’Brien Group announced the completion of upgrades to their Melbourne stadium including 1,361 solar panels, two 80,000-litre water tanks, and an environmentally-friendly heating system. The new facilities would generate 400 kW of power, providing a 25% savings on the stadium's power bill. To mark the completion of the new upgrades the stadium was renamed from O’Brien Group Arena to O’Brien Icehouse, invoking and recognising the stadium's original name.[11]

Events
The Henke Rink is used year-round for Ice Hockey and Speed Skating.

Since opening in February 2010, the Icehouse has played host to many events. As well as hosting all home games of Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs in the AIHL (Australian Ice Hockey League), it also held the 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 AIHL Goodall Cup finals weekends. Both Melbourne AIHL teams have won the Goodall Cup at the Icehouse.[12][13]

In April 2011 the Icehouse hosted the 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II. Team Australia won the championship playing against Belgium, Mexico, New Zealand, and Serbia.[14]

Other events that have been held here include the 2010 Australian Figure Skating Championships, National Speed Skating Championships, Victorian Figure Skating Championships and an annual Christmas Show.[15]

In February 2012 the Henke Rink was transformed from a hockey rink to a world-class short track rink that hosted the 2012 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships. This saw skaters aged 19 years and under traveling from over 30 countries to compete in the 500 meters, 1000 meters, 1500 meters, 1500 meters super final, and a team effort in the 3000 meters relay. Three junior world records were broken during this event.[16]

Location

It is located at 105 Pearl River Road, near Costco and The District Docklands, both in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia.

The closest public transport to the Icehouse is the Melbourne tram network, operated by Public Transport Victoria. The Waterfront City tram stop, located on Docklands Drive, is the closest to the venue and is serviced by the number 35 (City Circle), 70 (Wattle Park) and 86 (Bandoora RMIT) trams.[17]

See also

References
  1. "The Opening of the Icehouse!". www.icehouse.com.au, archived by the Wayback Machine. The Icehouse. Archived from the original on 25 July 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. National Ice Sports Centre Archived 17 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine – Department of Planning and Community Development, Government of Victoria. Retrieved 2010-04-01
  3. "Ice Sports Centre to produce more Olympic champions". corporate.olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  4. About Us – National Ice Sports Centre. Retrieved 2010-04-01
  5. Australian Olympic Winter Sports Institute – National Ice Sports Centre. Retrieved 2010-04-01
  6. Official naming of the Henke Rink Archived 18 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine – National Ice Sports Centre, 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2010-04-01
  7. Finnis, Alex (15 February 2018). "Remembering the most incredible, most unlikely Winter Olympics gold medal of all time". www.shortlist.com. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  8. Melbourne Ice homepage. Retrieved 2010-04-01
  9. Mustangs IHC homepage Archived 22 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2011-04-24
  10. "Facilities". www.obrienicehouse.com.au. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  11. "O'Brien "Icehouse"". www.docklandsnews.com.au. 3 April 2019.
  12. Cameron, Tyler (31 August 2014). "Ruthless Mustangs snatch maiden Goodall Cup". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  13. Mann, Mitch (3 September 2017). "Melbourne Ice 2017 AIHL Champions". www.theaihl.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  14. "2011 IIHF World Championship Div. II Group A". International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 19 January 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  15. "2010 ISA Brochure" (PDF). Ice Skating Australia. 20 June 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2018.
  16. "Event Info". Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  17. "Melbourne Tram Network map" (PDF). Public Transport Victoria. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
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