Durham ice rink project
durham’s lost ice rink stood on the riverside from 1940 until its closure in 1996. it was the venue for much of the city’s community activity, and the home stadium for world class ice hockey team: the Durham Wasps.
our project reconnected this community, in remembering this lost cultural space, and the many ways it shaped people’s lives.
beginning as a research project, and emerging as an incredibly successful exhibition, and later a documentary, the project continues now in the hands of the community.
THE EXHIBITION
In April 2024 the exhibition brought together the community spirit, passion and heritage of Durham ice rink. Its lasting legacy, captured through a collection of memorabilia, photographs and memories, serves as an opportunity to celebrate the ice rink community.
Our exhibition was the first time the community was brought back together and the story was told since the closure of the ice rink. Alongside the exhibition we gathered stories, digitised collections and were able to bring new life to a hugely important part of Durham’s history.
Averaging over 100 people per day throughout the exhibition, it was all about bringing people together.
‘Being at the ice rink were some of my first childhood memories. Thank you for letting me share them with my children. Absolutely wonderful exhibition.
-Lynsey Jenkins
Great exhibition. Brought back good memories. I got hit by a puck in 1986 and I kept it all these years. I brought it today. So sad we have no ice rink now.
-Anonymous
'The ‘Durham Ice Rink Project’ was always something I had in the back of my mind. It started from listening to my parents and grandparents talk about the time they spent there. When long lost friends from the ice rink meet, you hear the stories and see the smiles on their faces, getting a glimpse of how special that place was.’
— Lewis Hobson
With support from the story at mount oswald, we were able to show people a timeline of the recorded history. As well as recording some of our own with the seating map that people added their names to.
A lovely trip down memory lane. I remember catching the bus into Durham every Saturday afternoon to visit the rink. This is where I learned to skate and met my first boyfriend. So sad the ice rink isn’t there any more for the younger generation to enjoy.
-Tina
More stories to be told
Part of the exhibition was telling the stories that have not been told. Many parts of life at the ice rink were not recorded officially in game programs or photographs.
We were able to work with those who started one of the first women’s hockey teams in the UK, figure skaters, speed skaters and people who made the ice rink a multi-generational community hub.
We learned so much about the history, we struggled to document it all. There is much more work to do and many more stories to be told.
www.durhamicesportshistory.org is ran by the community, set up to continue with the momentum of the project.
The Documentary
Durham ice rink
Project Q&A
What was the ice rink?
Durham ice rink was a community hub, home to the hugely successful Durham Wasps ice hockey team. Both of which are sadly lost, along with much of the history, with very few records telling the story. Located on The Sands, where the passport office currently stands, it was the vision of local entrepreneur ‘Icy’ Smith that saw the rink open in the 1940’s. It found success with the Canadian pilots stationed nearby during the war, and went on to create one of the most famous names in ice hockey; The Durham Wasps. The story ended with the team being bought out, moved to Newcastle and the rink closing shortly after.
Why do we need a project like this?
We want to understand why the ice rink was important to so many people, what we lost and what we can do for future generations? We want to inform both our practise of providing support for arts and culture in Durham, and to help people explore the recent history of our shared community spaces.
Durham is home to many left behind areas and huge levels of inequality. Coundon, just 10 miles away from the city centre, 20 minutes by car has 54.1% of children living in relative poverty. With huge levels of inequality between neighbouring city areas Old Elvet/Whinney Hill and Sherburn Road with 3.1% percent and 45.1% of children in relative poverty respectively. We want to explore what the city centre means to people in County Durham, and what it needs to be going forward.
Why should CYAN_CIC organise this?
Born and raised in Durham, we have family members who went to games, played hockey and grew up hearing stories about the ice rink. We want to learn more about the place we live and the people we know.
How is the project funded?
The documentary has been funded in stages, first by ourselves, then by The Story and now as part of Place Labs.
Do you have a story about the rink?
Get in touch: artist@cyancic.uk