Year in Review 2023: Ice rink finally opens in Calverton
After eight years of development, the new Ed Westfall Arena at Peconic Ice Rinks officially opened in November, the first such sports facility on the East End. The NHL-regulation sized indoor rink is next to Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton.
When their son began playing hockey in 2015, Troy and Caryn Albert came up with an ambitious idea: to build an ice rink on the East End. “We realized there was no rink for kids on the North Fork and we said, ‘Let’s do this,’” Ms. Albert said.
They formed the Peconic Hockey Foundation. Donations from the New York Islanders, Riverhead Building Supply and other local businesses followed and ultimately an October 2022 agreement to donate the rink back to the Town of Riverhead in exchange for operating rights pushed the $2.3 million project across the finish line.
“Caryn and Troy worked for years to raise the funding and the Islanders Children’s Foundation was a major contributor,” said Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky during the opening cer- emony.
It’s estimated that more than 250 youngsters will be skating at the rink every week as members of one of the area’s 12 travel teams. The arena will be offering skating and hockey classes for children and adults as well as hockey leagues.
The indoor rink is expected to generate $1 million in revenue each year for the East End economy while creating up to four full-time management positions and 50 part-time jobs. There’s also an adjacent outdoor practice rink dedicated to Barbara Williams, a long-time skating coach.
ORIGINAL REPORTING BY TIM GANNON AND DEBORAH WETZEL
