The Gardens Ice House

The Gardens Ice House
Map
Location13800 Old Gunpowder Rd
Laurel, MD 20707
Coordinates39°4′43″N 76°55′18″W / 39.07861°N 76.92167°W / 39.07861; -76.92167
OwnerClaiborn (Clai) Carr and Tom Hendrix[3]
OperatorClai Carr[1]
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
OpenedSeptember 13, 1996[1][2]
ArchitectWaterer and Thorp[4]
General contractorWaverly Construction[5]
Tenants
Washington Power (MLRH) (2008–present)
Washington Jr. Nationals (AJHL) (2010–2014)
Maryland Reapers (AIF) (2012)
Washington Eagles (AIF) (2013)
Website
www.thegardensicehouse.com

The Gardens Ice House is a privately operated skating and fitness facility in Laurel, Maryland. Built on Fairland Regional Park land, the venue features an Olympic ice rink, two NHL rinks[6] (the third of these added on January 1, 1999),[1] and since November 2013, an outdoor mini-rink.

The Gardens is a public-private partnership between the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and Top Shelf Development.[6] The facility hosts the Mid Atlantic Skating School, Gardens Figure Skating Club, and Potomac Curling Club, as well as the annual Maryland Scholastic High School Championship.[7] The Tri-City Eagles youth hockey teams also play at The Gardens.[8] It hosted the American Indoor Football league's Maryland Reapers in 2012 and Washington Eagles in 2013. The facility hosted the Washington Jr. Nationals from 2010 until their move to Vermont in 2014. The Gardens is the home arena for the Washington Power roller hockey team.

"Whitey's Pond", an outdoor skating venue open from November to March each year, had its grand opening at The Gardens on November 1, 2013. Named in honor of veteran hockey rink owner Whitey Guenin[9] of Indiana,[10][11] the rink will feature 3 on 3 adult hockey,[9] described at other rinks as a form of pond hockey.[12][13]

As of early May 2020, The Gardens was being used as a temporary morgue while otherwise closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, with the bodies elevated from the ice, draped with Maryland flags, and guarded by Maryland Park Police officers while awaiting transportation elsewhere.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c Black, Ted (January 29, 2004). "Former Capital a fixture at Gardens Ice House". The Gazette. Post-Newsweek Media. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "The Gardens Ice House – Laurel, MD". GroundSpeak, Inc. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  3. ^ "The Gardens Ice House Breaks Ground on New Outdoor Rink" (Press release). Vocus. August 28, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
  4. ^ Tattersall, Bill (April 12, 2001). "Ice rink construction team ready to go to work". The Morning Call. Retrieved November 2, 2013. Waterer and Thorp of Bryn Mawr, chosen as the project architect, has designed three other community ice facilities – The Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Md....
  5. ^ "Whiskey Bottom, General Contractor, Waverly Construction". June 7, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2013. The Gardens Ice House ... Waverly acted as the General Contractor
  6. ^ a b "The Gardens Ice House". Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  7. ^ "The Gardens Ice House Renews with Pointstreak". Pointstreak Sports Technologies. June 8, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  8. ^ "Tri-City Eagles". Atlantic Hockey Federation. Retrieved November 19, 2024. The Tri-City Eagles play at The Gardens Ice House
  9. ^ a b "The Gardens Ice House Grand Opening of Whitey's Pond Friday November 1st at 4 p.m." (Press release). Media General Communications. November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  10. ^ "Hockey Hall of Fame Members". Indiana State High School Hockey Association. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  11. ^ Kavanaugh, Martin G (2009). A Hockey Road Well Traveled: Memoirs Of A Master Coach. Author House. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-4490-0327-2.
  12. ^ "3-On-3 Adult League Frequently Asked Questions". SoNo Ice House. Retrieved November 1, 2013. there is the 'Pond Hockey' factor of the 3-on-3; there are fewer rules
  13. ^ "Rival 3 on 3 Hockey". Rival Ice House. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  14. ^ Wilkins, Tracee (May 4, 2020). "Laurel Ice Rink Turned Into Temporary Morgue". nbcwashington.com. Retrieved May 8, 2020.