News 5 Cleveland reported Sunday that Kent State University Ice Arena was closed on September 25 until further notice, leaving area youth and amateur hockey without a place to practice. The cause of this closure is the spread of COVID-19 on Kent State’s campus. The University statement read in part:
“Due to ongoing efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Kent State Ice Arena will be closed until further notice, effective Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, to all users within the university and the general public….”
“The ice arena had not been opened to Kent State students or the general public for fall semester, but was being used by Kent State student organizations, several area high school hockey teams and regional hockey clubs.” –Kent State University Statement
Kent State University Ice Arena is home to Kent State University’s ACHA Division I and Division III Men’s Hockey Teams as well as youth hockey programs such as the Kent Cyclones Youth Hockey Program.
In places like Kent, Ohio, the nearest rink is 30 to 60 minutes away if your local rink is closed for any reason. This could have a devastating effect on ice hockey and figure skating if closures like this become more wide-spread in COVID-19’s expected second wave.