A DEESIDE ice hockey team have been forced to postpone seven fixtures following a prolonged wait to return to home ice having already played eight successive away games this season.

The Deeside Dragons are a Deeside based semi-professional ice hockey team who reformed from the dissolved Flintshire Freeze who play out of the Deeside ice rink, located in the Deeside leisure centre.

A volunteer run team, The Dragons rely on donations and sponsorship to provide the very best hockey Flintshire has to offer.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the Deeside ice rink became a field hospital and then a vaccination clinic.

The Dragons haven’t played a home fixture since the NIHL season was cancelled in March 2020 and hopes of an October return were dashed with still no date set in stone yet for a homecoming.

An official club statement on the club’s website read: “It is deeply frustrating that we (The Aspray Chester Deeside Dragons) have been affected by the completion date on the Deeside ice rink being available for both training and games.

“The rink itself is fully renovated, with a brand-new board system including full glass and high-level netting providing a fantastic facility. However, technical issues with plant and lead times on parts have set our return to home ice back.

“Technical issues with plant and lead times on parts have set our return to home ice back.

“We have been assured when these parts arrive work will commence immediately. The Aura facility and management have been fully supportive of keeping us informed of the issues.

“The situation is out of their hands and the onus lies with the Health Board and the main contractor to return the rink facility to full working order as was promised.

“We started this season knowing that eight away games before our first home game would test our finances, but we put everything we could into place ensuring we started the season with the best intentions.”

READ MORE 

Deeside Leisure Centre ice rink reopening 'gathering pace'

Deeside: Police Dog Otis sniffs out drugs in vehicle

Flintshire: Police launch witness appeal after assault in Shotton

Ian Donnelly, Director of Operations for the East Integrated Health Community, said: “We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused by the unavoidable delay in reinstating Deeside Leisure Centre’s ice rink, and fully understand the frustration felt by many of its regular users.

“We remain extremely grateful to the local community for the patience and understanding shown during the time the Leisure Centre was used to support our response to the pandemic, and we are continuing to work with our contractors to complete this restoration work as soon as possible.”

Earlier this year, Aura Leisure confirmed that they hoped to have the ice rink back open ‘this autumn’, but an opening date is still no closer to being revealed.

A spokesperson for Aura Leisure said: “In early October, Aura shared that it was hopeful reinstatement works in the ice arena will be successfully completed over the next couple of months.

“This remains the case. We are not able to provide a confirmed re-opening date at present.

“As soon as we are in a position to share further information regarding the re-opening of the ice arena we will do so at the earliest opportunity as we are fully aware that our loyal ice-skating customers are excited at the prospect of returning.”

The news comes as a blow for The Dragons who now face a wait to when they can fulfil their next fixtures having already been stretched financially with the challenge of playing and paying for eight successive away trips.

Deeside Dragon’s Marketing Manager, Mikey Rowe said: “As we are a community-focused Not-for-Profit club run entirely by volunteers, we are so invested with over two years planning to get the club back that the biggest frustration is not playing our home games when we expected to.

“I know for myself and everyone else in the club, that first home game back at The Den is going to be special, but to protect the club we have had to postpone all fixtures until the home ice is down and we can generate income from our home games.”

Assistant player coach Marc Lovell added: "The budget we had was reliant on that come November we would start playing home games which would generate cash for the club which lets us go on and play the rest of the season.

“Like any sports team, you can’t just rely on sponsorship to get you through a season.

“It’s very frustrating. It’s hard enough anyway playing ice hockey but when you can’t train it’s not good for any sport.”

Fixtures which have been confirmed for postponement are:

  • Saturday 12th November (Away) to Solway Sharks
  • Sunday 13th November (Home) to Solway Sharks
  • Saturday 19th November (Home) Widnes Wild
  • Sunday 20th November (Home) Solihull Barons
  • Sunday 26th November (Home) Billingham Stars
  • Saturday 3rd December (Home) Whitley Warriors
  • Sunday 4th December (Away) Nottingham Lions

The Dragons now hope to be able to resume play in what will be their first home game of the season against Nottingham Lions on December 10.