ICE-SKATERS have been left to travel across England to train for important competitions as they are keen to ‘keep their dreams alive’.
Skaters who would usually attend the Deeside ice-skating rink have been training elsewhere in Widnes, Telford, Sheffield or Nottingham to allow them to be ready to compete at the British Celebration of ice dance.
This has added great difficulty to competitors as they have made ‘great sacrifices’ to ‘keep their dreams alive’ without their home ice-rink.
The ice skating area of Deeside Leisure Centre is currently being used as a mass vaccination centre.
Whereas the remainder of the site will have a phased reopening for the sports and community facilities during late summer, the vaccination centre will continue up until March 2022 in support of the vaccination booster programme.
Despite Welsh Government news that ice skating rinks in Wales can re-open from July 17, Deeside will remain a vaccination centre - meaning only Cardiff will re-open.
Ryan Southan, Level 3 performance ice dance coach at Deeside, said: “Although, we understand the reasons of vaccination centres and how important they are, there are only two ice rinks in Wales.
“One in Cardiff and one in Deeside and travelling far and wide means there have been a lot of skaters who have had to give up.
“Widnes and Telford are quite small and the competition was in Sheffield, of course their skaters were able to train in their own rink with their own coaches.
“Our kids have had to travel all over, missing school which is missing out on education. It’s been really difficult and really hard.
“Now we’ve been told Deeside ice-skaters will have to travel until probably this time next year because it’s going to take about three months to get the rink up and running again.
“It’s heart-breaking for the kids. The pandemic came along and everyone was happy it was being used as a field hospital. But then it became a vaccination centre and will remain until next year.
“We fully support the vaccination programme but we can’t skate anywhere else unless we travel to England or Cardiff. There are cost implications to that.
“There are thousands of sporting facilities that can be used. We’d really love for them to change their minds, our kids need their training back to how it used to be.”
However, despite the challenges brought on by the rink closure, 14 skaters from Deeside had success at the British Championship earlier this month.
One pupil in particular, 15-year-old Lily Bakhtiari is ‘extremely talented’ as the current advanced novice (u15) ice dance champion 2019 – a title she gained at the age of 13.
Lily also gained silver in the junior competition this week, which due to covid the age was increased from u19 to u21.
Ryan added: “Lily just turned 15 a few weeks ago. She is a force to be reckoned with. Lily has been travelling weekly to Widnes, Telford, Nottingham and during lockdown Sheffield (as an elite skater) and going to school.
“At her standard she need to train at least 25-30 hours a week. Imagine this on top of travel time and school.
“She did incredibly well, but I do wonder if her, like the others, could have bettered what they achieved if they had that regular training.
“Regardless it’s still an incredible achievement.”
The Leader previously reported that a petition had been launched for this date to be reviewed and for another location to be used as a vaccination centre when ice skating rinks are allowed to open under government guidelines.
When announcing the news that the vaccination centre will remain until next year, Colin Everett, Chief Executive of Flintshire County Council, said: “Whilst we fully appreciate that the operators and customers of our ice rink will have a second winter without their cherished facility, and that there will be great disappointment, we must continue to play our part in the regional vaccination programme which is the top priority for public health.
“This is the only suitable centre of location, size and accessibility in the most populated part of North Wales, and has been already adapted for this use.
“The Health Board require continuity of service and this site is a familiar and accessible centre for thousands of residents in readiness for an autumn/winter vaccination booster programme which is under development. The Vaccination Programme needs to be given the highest priority for public health and safety and we ask for the public’s patience, cooperation and understanding.”
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