Ice Skating Rink / Ice Arena

The Ice Skating Rink was built in 1931 by the Athletic Association [1] and featured 48,000 square feet at a cost of $338,000, [2] paid for with football ticket profits. [3] Seating is provided for 1,200 spectators and the ice itself can hold several hundred skaters at once, on a rink measuring 125 by 200 feet. [4] By 1950 the building served as a temporary men's housing facility to alleviate the critical housing shortage caused by returning war veterans. [5] By the 1970's, many called for the rink to be razed and a new, modernized, facility built. [6] Heeding these calls, the College of Applied Life Studies took control of the facility in 1976-1977 and performed a much-needed renovation. They also turned the arena into a revenue-generating facility to help pay for ongoing maintenance and upkeep costs. By the Spring 1977, the facility had been opened to spring activities in an effort to keep it open more of the year. [7]