Dropping the puck
City takes first step to address demand with feasibility study for new ice rink

The ice has barely melted at Chapman Rink for the summer, but dreams for a new, year-round ice facility are still alive.

Last month, the City of Durango put out a request for bids for a new ice rink feasibility study. The study will evaluate the need, viability and options for one or two new year-round and/or seasonal sheets of ice.

“Chapman Hill users have expressed the need for a second sheet of ice for many years,” city of Durango Assistant Recreation Director Kelli Jaycox said. “During the 2025 budget process, City Council approved $50,000 to complete a feasibility study, which is currently out to bid.”

Among other things, the study will assess market demand, programming needs, site options, financial feasibility, governance and operations, and implementation. The RFP went out March 17, with applications due April 23 and the bid expected to be awarded in May.

The news was welcomed by the Durango Rink Project, a local nonprofit that has been pushing the city to explore the idea of a new ice facility for the last few years.

“I think it's good that things are moving forward. We need more ice,” DRP president Ashleigh Tucker said. For the last few years, Tucker and a dedicated group of volunteers, made up of hockey players, hockey parents and figure skaters, have been attending city meetings to promote the idea of a new rink. “Chapman is good right now, but it's not good for the long run,” Tucker said.

For starters, the current rink – which was built in 2002 – is only partially enclosed and operable for ice skating about half of the year. Although there has been talk over the years of enclosing it for year-round use, permafrost under the rink – which requires annual defrosting to avoid structural damage – has stymied that idea. Furthermore, there is a natural spring running under the rink, which has led to issues with concrete and sloping of the ice surface. However, Jaycox said after some initial problems, the situation does not seem to be worsening.

“It has remained relatively stable over the past five years, based on three separate surveys,” she said. “We plan to continue conducting surveys each summer to monitor any changes. While the rink is not perfectly level, we have not observed significant movement or deterioration that would indicate an immediate concern.”

Another thing that can’t be remedied easily is the size of the rink, which is about 10 feet short of an NHL regulation-sized rink. There is also a shortage of parking, particularly when the ski and hockey seasons are in full swing, with cars often overflowing into the nearby gun club lot.

But perhaps the biggest crunch is with ice time. With only one rink, the Durango Adult Hockey League, Durango Area Youth Hockey Association, figure skating program and city-run programs like house hockey and public skate are constantly dueling it out for slots. Most days, the rink is booked solid from 6:30 a.m. to midnight.

In addition, most figure skating competitions take place in the summer, with local skaters having to travel to Albuquerque, Denver or other cities to train and compete.

“We need more ice for the programs to grow and continue to grow, because right now, there's not enough ice time for the kids' programs and the adult programs to really do much else,” said Tucker, a lifelong hockey player who has two boys, 10 and 8, who play as well as a 3-year-old daughter who will likely be lacing up next year. “Two sheets of ice is kind of necessary to grow the programs, both ice hockey and figure skating.”

According to the City, there were 18,400 paid entries into the Chapman Hill Ice Rink in 2025, reflecting open skates, drop-ins and stick-and-pucks. Although this is slightly down from recent years, the number of ice hours rented – mostly by adult hockey teams and DAYHA – has remained steady over the last three years, at about 1,100. Jaycox noted that each hour can entail two teams with as many as 16 players, meaning there are some 32 people on the ice at any given time. The numbers also do not include spectators.

“Overall usage at Chapman Hill is significantly higher than what these figures alone represent,” she said. For example, last weekend’s Spring Celly adult tournament included approximately 40 hours of rental time but involved around 25 teams with 14–16 players each, totaling roughly 400 participants, she said.

For the 2025-26 season, there were 27 teams in the Durango Adult Hockey League, spread out over four divisions and about 450 kids enrolled in DAYHA. There were another 50 or so participants in the figure skating program.

“Another factor on numbers is the amount of ice time available to use,” Jaycox said. “As we know, the rink is booked morning until night.”

More ice would not only help alleviate pressure on the existing rink but would add economic benefits, proponents say. A year-round facility could bring more tournaments to town, which means more people staying in hotels, eating at restaurants and shopping at stores.

Of course, in a town like Durango, with its dizzying array of outdoor recreation opportunities, a new state-of-the-art indoor ice facility may be a big ask. And, there is also the thorny issue of land and money – both of which are in short supply.

Early estimates put the cost of a new facility with two NHL-sized rinks at $20-$35 million, which includes land, construction, ice systems, equipment and other costs.

However, rink proponents believe a public-private partnership, an increasingly popular model with rinks across Colorado and the country, could help solve that issue. Another selling point is that a new facility could be used for other purposes, with, say, one rink used in the summer to host conventions and events. As for the Chapman Rink, it could be utilized by other city programs, such as gymnastics or pickleball.

In addition, the new rink could also be built in a developed area, such as the empty Durango Mall parcel, that already has facilities, parking and other infrastructure in place.

“There are so many possibilities,” said Tucker. “The idea would be that we could have year round ice on one rink, and then the other rink would be seasonal, so it could change into roller derby, roller hockey, convention center, whatever.”

Of course, the feasibility study is just the first puck drop in a long game. And only time will tell if a new rink is a hot idea or, well, it gets put on ice.

“The feasibility study is just the first step, to get our foot in the door, get the city on board and make sure that it's something Durango could utilize,” said Tucker.

For more info. or to get involved, email: durangorinkproject@gmail.com.