UVic to permanently close Ian Stewart Complex ice rink in March 2027

UVic has announced that the Ian Stewart Complex ice rink will be permanently closed next year. 

The rink is currently where the UVic Vikes hockey team plays home games and practices; however, there is no current plan on where the team will relocate to once the rink is closed. 

According to the university, the decision was made to close the rink back in 2023. Reasons given for the closure included its age and unsustainable costs.

Since the decision, UVic took steps to extend the lifespan of the facility, and committed to maintain operations through March 2026 in order to support rink users to transition to other facilities. 

Interim repairs were completed in 2024 to extend the rink’s lifespan and UVic managed to extend operations for a further year. 

The rink was built in 1970, and will have been in operation for 57 years when it is closed for good. 

“Despite ongoing maintenance and repairs over the years, the ice rink has reached the end of its life span and will be closed, as scheduled, on March 31, 2027,” said UVic in a media release. 

“While we provided four years of notice so our rink users could make alternative arrangements, we recognize the challenges associated with this closure given the need for more ice surfaces in the region.”

With limited rink space in Greater Victoria, it will be difficult for the Vikes to secure a new home for the team. 

At this time, UVic has expressed no plans to build a new rink. 

The university says it plans to enter into an agreement with UVic Properties to transfer management of the site to them. 

In the short term, UVic Properties will work to identify lease opportunities for the facility. Long term, the university plans to redevelop the Ian Stewart Complex to create a new mixed-use University District as part of their real estate strategy.

This situation echoes the difficulty faced by students and community members when the UVic McKinnon Pool closed in 2024. 

Student clubs struggled to find pools that could accommodate them following the closure, and were only given around two months notice.