Anonymous wrote:It's just not a big sport here. If driving bothers you, I would encourage your kids to do something else.

Well, swimming is a huge sport in the DMV and there aren't enough pools either. These facilities aren't built because they don't make money, bottom line. It's ridiculous.

It's just not a big sport here. If driving bothers you, I would encourage your kids to do something else.

My daughter used to figure skate. I don't know these terms like Moco and dmv, but she skated at Cabin John, Laurel, Rockville, and occasionally Mt. Vernon. Washington FSC is the main club in the area, and they have sessions at multiple rinks. There are other rinks like Reston, Ashburn and Arlington. There was also a small private rink in Fairfax that produced national champions in its day. If you walk into Cabin John with your own skates they will try to recruit you for the synchro team.

Basically you will do a lot of driving around the beltway and beyond, because there are few rinks inside the beltway.

Drive to Laurel. Many of DS’s teammates there (Tri City/Howard Huskies) came from DC.

Doesn’t solve the problem of fewer rinks in DC though

Land is expensive in close-in suburbs. When you say "is there anything we can do?" the answer is buy land and put a skating rink on it, or donate the money for a rink to be built on public land and convince the local government to build and maintain it. That's really about it.

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe there would be more interest if there were more facilities. As someone stated above, there's also a dearth of indoor pools in the DMV, relative to other areas. We should really ask our county leaders to do comparison studies and then bring our facilities up to par.

Is there really a dearth of pools? I am curious where you are getting this data.

Yes, there is a shortage of indoor pools, at least in Montgomery County. Same really for DC.

In MCPS, for example, there are really only 3 aquatic facilities for 25 high schools. They must share the pools. So each team is only allowed to hold swim practice 2x per week, to even out the practice opportunities.

The swim clubs are desperate for indoor pools. Some now look to use outdoor pools in the winter, due to the shortage of indoor pools.

At least there are plenty of outdoor pools in MoCo for summer use. (However, in DC there are very few outdoor pools, relative to the population.)

Most of these pools are sitting empty all day. There are 5 indoor county pools.

Which ones are the best?

Anonymous wrote:NOVA - in addition to Ion and St. James, also Reston (Skatequest), Ashburn Ice House, Kettler/Medstar in Arlington, Prince William Ice Center, and Fairfax ice Arena.

MoCo - also Rockville Ice Arena

Further out in MD is The Gardens Ice House in Laurel

Other MD rinks- Bowie, Columbia, Piney Orchard, Tucker Road, and Naval Academy.

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Anonymous wrote:Maybe there would be more interest if there were more facilities. As someone stated above, there's also a dearth of indoor pools in the DMV, relative to other areas. We should really ask our county leaders to do comparison studies and then bring our facilities up to par.

Is there really a dearth of pools? I am curious where you are getting this data.

Yes, there is a shortage of indoor pools, at least in Montgomery County. Same really for DC.

In MCPS, for example, there are really only 3 aquatic facilities for 25 high schools. They must share the pools. So each team is only allowed to hold swim practice 2x per week, to even out the practice opportunities.

The swim clubs are desperate for indoor pools. Some now look to use outdoor pools in the winter, due to the shortage of indoor pools.

At least there are plenty of outdoor pools in MoCo for summer use. (However, in DC there are very few outdoor pools, relative to the population.)

Anonymous wrote:Isn't there a rink in downtown Silver Spring too, or did they not open that one this year?

Silver Spring one is tiny.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe there would be more interest if there were more facilities. As someone stated above, there's also a dearth of indoor pools in the DMV, relative to other areas. We should really ask our county leaders to do comparison studies and then bring our facilities up to par.

Is there really a dearth of pools? I am curious where you are getting this data.

This entire thread is a bunch of anecdata.

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Anonymous wrote:Isn't there a rink in downtown Silver Spring too, or did they not open that one this year?

DP here. If you're talking about a tiny outdoor rink, that's a non-starter for anyone other than recreational fun.

it’s not tiny. And they do offer lessons. There is also a huge ice rink ( it’s called the Ice House) in Laurel which is not moco but it’s very close to the line.

Someone is really here trying to defend the status quo, for some reason. DMV people -- we have a shortage of facilities, compared to other cities/regions.

Compared to which cities and regions, exactly? Because I'm from Boston and the same issues apply.

Boston has a TON of rinks. It’s not comparable at all

The ones I’ve been at - because I have a figure skater. New England sports complex has like 8 beautiful rinks. SKOB just built a new rink.

Well duh. It's Boston. But try finding a swimming pool for a swim club.

I’m having a really hard time following this convo and the logic. There must be more going on in the poster’s head that isn’t written. It reads:
Op- DMV ice facilities are subpar.
Post 2 - no same in Boston
Post 3 - not true, Boston has more/better rinks
Post 4 - well duh it’s Boston. They’re short of swimming pools.

Maybe there would be more interest if there were more facilities. As someone stated above, there's also a dearth of indoor pools in the DMV, relative to other areas. We should really ask our county leaders to do comparison studies and then bring our facilities up to par.

Not enough space/interest in skating, OP. I grew up in rural NY state; rinks everywhere. But there was nothing else to do in the middle of winter — everyone skated and land wasn’t exactly pricy. Neither is the case here. It’s a pity though. I miss skating.