Peconic Ice Rinks to ‘reopen soon’ after snow cleared from sagging bubble dome

JAN. 30 UPDATE: Peconic Ice Rinks has been cleared to reopen after they completed the required structural inspection by Riverhead Town. 

The snow that sagged the bubble roof of Ed Westfall Arena in Calverton — forcing Riverhead’s fire marshal to temporarily close the facility Tuesday — has been cleared and the facility will be “reopening as soon as possible,” Peconic Ice Rinks officials said Wednesday night.

Crews removed all snow and ice from the dome Wednesday, and final safety checks are underway at the $2.3 million arena, which opened in 2022.

“We are working diligently with the goal of reopening as soon as possible and will share updates the moment we are cleared to do so,” the Peconic Hockey Foundation, which runs the rinks, wrote on Facebook.

The closure will remain in effect until a licensed engineer can determine the “structural integrity of the structure.”

Representatives from Riverhead Town’s Fire Marshal, building and engineering departments inspected the arena on Tuesday morning and deemed it unsafe after the bubble roof partially sagged under heavy snow accumulation from Winter Storm Fern.

“I want to thank the Riverhead Fire Marshal’s office for their prompt and professional response,” Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin said Tuesday. “This is our first major snow event since taking possession of the Ed Westfall Arena. We hope to have the building back up and running very soon, so residents and visitors to Veteran’s Park can get back to skating activities during the winter months”. 

Earlier Wednesday, the Peconic Hockey Foundation dismissed social media buzz that the arena, named after the former Islanders star, had collapsed.

“We’re aware of rumors circulating that the dome has collapsed and will not reopen. We want to be very clear: Those rumors are completely false,” the organization wrote. “Our team is currently removing snow and ice from portions of the dome and the facility perimeter.”