Bird Ice Arena is home to the ACHA Division I Ohio Bobcats, ACHA Division II Ohio Bobcats, LUG Hockey League and Athens Youth Hockey Association, not to mention the numerous other skating programs the arena offers to students and the community. The arena is a key part of the campus and community. Although many love Bird Arena as it is, it’s undoubtedly time for a new ice arena here.
Bird was built in 1957 and wasn’t originally intended to be an ice arena. The arena was meant to be a field house approved by Ohio University's President John Baker at the time. While the soon-to-be arena was being built, Baker's wife convinced him to add a layer of ice to the surface, thus creating what we know as Bird Ice Arena.
Last year, the arena was closed due to repairs for 10 months. This cut all hockey teams' home seasons short, forcing many of them to pay more for practice at an arena hours away. The arena is receiving an upgrade, with the Board of Trustees approving to replace the flooring in the arena and the dasher boards.
However, last week, Bird had yet another setback as a result of smoke filling up the locker rooms. Although the issue seems to be resolved, who knows when the 68-year-old building will face more problems.
The budget for the flooring project will cost the school $3.15 million. The cost to run an ice arena with a single sheet of ice is around $100,000. However, the arena isn’t used year-round, and the ice is removed after the hockey season ends. Bird also charges for some programs, like free skate and skate rentals. I understand not wanting to make it inexpensive for people; however, the university could raise the cost for these programs to fund a new arena.
Bird is tiny and compact, which makes for a loud crowd during home games. The stands are tiny and lack the capacity needed for hockey games. That’s also not the only part of the rink that’s too small. The playing surface at Bird is 10 feet too small for regulation size. The playing area is 190’ by 85’ in ice surface, and the rules of the ACHA seasons are 200’ by 85’.
If you haven’t been to one of the D1 Bobcats games, I highly recommend you go and experience the atmosphere, because there is no other place like it in the ACHA. The capacity of the arena is 1,200, and that isn’t enough space for everyone who wants to attend a game. Try to go to Bird on a Friday or Saturday night when the D1 team is playing, and you will either narrowly work your way into a seat or be met with a sold-out sign outside the rink. The demand for tickets is there for the team, but the space isn’t.
The D1 Bobcats are also consistently one of the best teams in the ACHA. This season, the Bobcats have not been ranked lower than 4. Last year, the team finished third; the team is good and has a chance at a championship year after year. Yet they are stuck in a tiny arena.
I love Bird, I really do. It has its own charm, but it’s time for OU to look at what it has, as well as the quality of the current arena. The hockey programs have been successful, and it’s used by the community of Athens. Instead of fixing the floor and saying it’s brand new, maybe it’s time to build a new arena that is regulation size and meets the demands of the fans.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
