Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/374170
PHOTOS : COU RTESY OF CRYSTA L FI ELDHOUSE TENANTS: Greater Flint Hockey Association, Elite Skating Academy 1999 ORIGINALLY OPENED REOPENED IN JULY 2014 AFTER TWO YEARS IDLE RINK BREAKDOWN 70,000 SQUARE FEET LOCKER ROOMS 2 200' x 85' NHL-SIZE RINKS SAND $260/hour ICE TIME With its location, Crystal Fieldhouse is bound to pull some youth and men's leagues from competing rinks, but that won't be the rink's mission. "I am not going to go after associations that found a new home," said Brooks. "They had to go somewhere else when this place closed and it was great for others to open their doors. I want to help hockey as a whole. That's really what we want this rink to be all about." Grow the Game, Grow the Rink It's going to take time to bring back what was lost before Crystal Fieldhouse. The first challenge will be getting players interested. The number of registered USA Hockey players in Michigan has dipped in recent years. Brooks said those numbers tend to be even smaller in the Burton and Flint areas. "We have to do something to bring hockey back," said Brooks. "We have to grow the sport. Crystal Fieldhouse can't be just another hockey rink for my kids to go play. It's got to be different — and we're going to make it different." They will start with drawing crowds thanks to the area's partnership with the annual CANUSA tournament — a youth- friendly international sports competition that has alternated between Flint and Hamilton, Ontario, since 1958. On August 8 and 9, Crystal Fieldhouse hosted the CANUSA youth hockey games. Brooks expects to attract more events like this now that there's a local rink back in the area. Build it and they will come. "It's going to be a slow build, but we are going to grow the sport of hockey so it benefits everybody, not just us," assures Brooks. "That's what it comes down to." J 18 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2014 RINKMAGAZINE.COM , Continued from page 17 TYPE OF RINK FLOOR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON HERE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO WANT TO USE OUR FACILITY." T-8s in common areas; rink is currently Metal Halide but will be converted to LED in near future. LIGHTING IN ARENA REFRIGERATION SYSTEM: Ammonia & Brine SKATING PROGRAMS: Learn to Skate, Learn to Play, Sticks and Pucks ICE RESURFACERS: ONE ZAMBONI 520 (PROPANE), ONE ZAMBONI 500 (CNG) Featured Rink Crystal Fieldhouse | | Burton, Mich.