Recreation and Facilities Management | 225 Park Avenue | Portland, Maine 04102 | (207) 774-8553
City  Ice Arena Public Assembly Facilities       Recreation

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Office Hours Are:
Monday thru Friday
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
 
 

When is the Ice Arena open?

Portland Ice Arena is open 7 days a week from mid-June through April. Most days we are open from 5:00 am until midnight. We have various rentals throughout the day including youth hockey, public skating, high school hockey, skating lessons, old timers hockey, women’s hockey, figure skating, Portland Pirates practices, school outings and various private rentals.

I’ve never been to Portland Ice Arena. How do I find my way around?

Through the street side front doors you will come in to the Arena lobby. Straight ahead you will find a kiosk with information and a map of the building. If you need further assistance take the stairs to the right. The office is at the bottom on the left. Office hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. During the fall/winter months the office is also open Saturday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm and most Tuesday nights until 7:00 pm.

Where can I park?

The Ice Arena has a parking lot beside our building and a large parking lot in the rear of the building. These are shared parking lots with the EXPO building, Hadlock field, and Fitzpatrick stadium so there are times when parking is challenging. Arriving early for events is advised. For further parking info click here

I’m a recreational skater. What programs are available for me?

We have public skating sessions throughout the week and skating lessons are available with many sessions throughout the year. There are numerous spectator advantages throughout the season including high school hockey games, youth hockey games, skating competitions and tournaments. Admission is required for some games and events.

Does the Ice Arena have seating for the public?

Yes, there are bleachers in the rink area for spectators.

Must I pay for public skating if I’m only watching?

No, you only have to pay to go on the ice.

Can my child/myself bring a chair, or other skate aid on the ice to help with balance?

Sorry, no. Objects such as chairs, strollers, plastic buckets, or hockey sticks on the ice can be dangerous to all skaters. You might think about skating lessons if you feel your child/yourself needs some extra help.

My child is only 1½, can I carry him/her around?

No, this could be a very dangerous situation. Falling could badly injure the child, the skater, or others.

Can I go on the ice with my shoes on?

No, the ice is very slippery and like all slippery surfaces you could easily fall and be injured while wearing shoes. 

Can I bring my mp3 player/walkman to listen to while I am skating?

Sorry, this can also be a dangerous situation. The arena plays music during public skate sessions. If you have radio station requests please check with the arena office.

Do you have public skating on Saturdays or Sundays?

We have both Saturday and Sunday sessions. The Saturday session is 9:00 - 10:30 pm - a late time for older teenagers and adults. Sunday sessions are 1:30 - 3:00 pm.. Please check our website for additional skating hours which we add when ice time is available. www.portlandicearena.com

Do you have rental skates? What size would I wear?

Yes, we have rental skates from child size 8 to adult size 13. The fee for rental skates is $2.00 per session. Our rental skates are uni-sex sizes with children’s sizes usually running the same as their shoe size. Adult sizes can vary with men’s sizes being true to shoe size and women’s sizes running about one size smaller than their shoe size. The rental attendant will be happy to help you fit skates properly.

Do you have Figure Skating sessions at the Ice Arena?

Figure skate sessions at Portland Ice Arena are available throughout the year. They are reserved for freestyle/dance skaters who are familiar with and can execute the common elements that identify figure skaters, such as advanced turns, edges, patterns, jumps and spins. These elements are generally not attempted by recreational skaters. Most skaters who purchase figure skating ice have received or are currently receiving training, either in group lessons or by private instructors. Such ice is generally more expensive than public skating ice and is restricted to approximately 25 participants. Please refer to our Figure Skating web page for more information or contact our Skating Director at ljh@portlandmaine.gov

What if I just want to play hockey?

 We dedicate several days a week to Adult Pick Up hockey. This is a pick up game and we recommend full equipment. Helmets with facemasks (at least a half-shield) are required for all hockey. If you are interested in organized adult hockey, Portland Ice Arena has a league with several levels. Contact the rink for information. All youth hockey at Portland Ice Arena is organized – Casco Bay Hockey Association is the local youth hockey league. Most high school and middle schools have teams – contact them individually for information.

My child loves skating. Do you offer birthday party packages?

Unfortunately our building is not well equipped to offer birthday packages. However, we do offer options for birthday parties. You may rent the ice when available by the hour for a birthday party. This would make the ice available to only your skating group. A locker room would be assigned for you to use for snacks and presents. Rental skates would be included in the cost. The second option is to come to a public skate session and pay the regular skating prices (the birthday child is always free!). There is a locker room (the Portland Pirates locker room) available for rent for a minimal fee where you may have snacks and presents. Call the Ice Arena for pricing.

Do you sharpen skates and what hours is this service available?

Yes, we sharpen skates and this can be done whenever the ice arena is open. A good general time frame is 9:00 am until 10:00 pm. Sometimes the skate sharpener/rink attendant has other duties such as resurfacing the ice, checking operations, or general cleaning. If the skate-sharpening door is closed please check with the arena office. Visit our skate sharpening web page for more information.

How do I get information on skating lessons?

There are several options: you may call the Portland Ice Arena office (774-8553) to receive information and be added to our mailing list, you may check our website: www.portlandicearena.com, or you may e-mail the skating director: Lynda Hathaway at
ljh@portlandmaine.gov. She will be happy to answer any questions.

What ages can take skating lessons?

We begin our skating lessons at age 4 and lessons are available through the adult level. If you have a child younger than 4 please call or e-mail the skating director, ljh@portlandmaine.gov, to discuss options.

I’m an adult – what is available to me for skating lessons?

 We have a special time for Adults Only skating lessons. During the fall/winter/spring month’s adult lessons are on Sunday late afternoon/evening. You must be 16 or older to be in the adult class. We have a large group of adults who enjoy the camaraderie of skating and learning together.

I keep hearing about an ice show. What is the Ice Show?

At the end of every season we have an ice show to show off the talents and hard work of our group lesson and figure skate participants. If you have taken skating lessons (any class level) at the ice arena or participated in any of our figure skate programs during the current year you are able to register and participate. The cost is minimal and the experience is FUN!

When is the Ice Show?

The ice show is the last scheduled event at Portland Ice Arena for the season. It is usually the last Saturday/Sunday in April, depending on the calendar. The performance is open to the public for a small admittance fee.

Is the Ice Arena open year round?

No, we close for approximately six weeks, beginning the first of May, reopening the middle of June. The reason for the closure is to let the frost under the ground thaw. If this weren’t done it would create ‘frost heaves’ (yes! just like on our streets and roadways) and would cause permanent damage to the piping under the ice surface. We use this time to do painting and general building maintenance to make the building neat and clean for the next season.