The more than 25,000-square-foot expansion will expand the Skating Center's figure skating and ice hockey training offerings.
| Update
SIMSBURY, Conn. — The International Skating Center, which put Simsbury on the map in the mid-1990s with the launch of Ukrainian figure skating star Oksana Baiul, continues to grow.
The Simsbury Regional Planning Commission last month unanimously approved a 25,175-square-foot expansion of the Connecticut International Skating Center, located at 1375 Hop Meadow Road in Simsbury.
subscribe
Specifically, the Zoning Commission approved a “site plan amendment” for the expansion on June 17, which will add two half-size rinks in addition to the two full-size rinks that serve both figure skaters and ice hockey players across the state.
Currently, the site is 78,000 square feet with a total of 420 parking spaces, but no additional parking spaces have been added to the project.
The ISCC was officially recognized in 1994 and soon served as Baiul’s training facility.
Baiul won the gold medal in women's figure skating for Ukraine in 1994, during a time when the Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding scandal was dominating the news.
The 17-plus acres on which the center operates are owned by the Town of Simsbury, and the facility itself is owned by BMW Sports LLC, which is listed as the applicant for the project.
The rink will be located on the west side of the building, allowing more users more ice time with a variety of skating programs.
It is home to the Simsbury High School ice hockey program, as well as several figure skating programs and other youth hockey leagues.
ISCC also hosts skating events for the public.
Zoning board members heard a detailed presentation about the addition that was included in the plans, with issues like drainage, landscaping and parking all being addressed.
Without discussion, the committee unanimously approved the resolution, which had already been drafted by the legal advisers.
With only minor amendments, the proposal submitted for legal review was approved.
“The application was approved as submitted with variations and conditions,” said Simsbury Regional Planning Commission Chairman Bruce Elliott. “Congratulations, and we look forward to seeing a building there.”
Construction on the expansion is expected to begin later this year.
For the minutes of the June 17th Simsbury Zoning Board meeting, click on this link.
Connecticut International Skate Center, 1375 Hopmeadow St. For all application documents, click on this link.
