The Newburgh ice rink where skaters skated, twirled and schools practiced hockey shots abruptly announced May 13 it would shut down June 5. It is the only ice skating facility in Orange County. The 15-year-old complex employed fewer than 15 people.
Management stated the economy is the reason for its closing.
Its closing leaves skaters and sports teams from Orange County high schools looking for a new place to practice hockey.
The Palisades Center in West Nyack, the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, Sport-O-Rama in Monsey and the Brewster Ice Arena are all indoor rinks. The Hessian Lake skating rink in Bear Mountain State Park is only open during the winter season.
The Hudson Valley Polar Bears have already informed its members it is working on a contingency plan for its members and trying to work out refunds with Ice Time”™s general manager, Glen Danischewski.
“The closing of the facility at Ice Time has sent shock waves through the hockey community in the Hudson Valley, not only the 94 Polar Bear players on six age-group teams,” said Polar Bear spokesperson K.G. Hoarty in an e-mail.  “This action has caused tremendous turmoil and as a result parents have had to make the difficult choice to leave the organization. As of today, we have lost the majority of our players and currently are down to one complete team. We have found an alternative location for that team to play and have begun the process of re-establishing the organization in that location.”
Danischewski could not be reached for comment.
