I am delighted to announce that Inverness Ice Centre will be opening to the public on Monday October 5th 2020 .Working with stakeholders from the Scottish Ice Rinks Association, Ice Rink Managers Association, Sport Scotland, Scottish Curling, British Ice Skating and British Ice Hockey , the Board and the Ice Centre team led by CEO Gordon Barron, have worked tirelessly to create an environment for staff, members and customers, that has Health and Safety as its number one priority.

Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, I had instructed our CEO to carry out a root and branch review of all aspects of Ice Centre activity with priority being given to Health and Safety guidelines and compliance. The changes introduced following the review and the drive towards a culture of continual improvement, ensured that the Ice Centre had in place the robust procedures and protocols required to deal with the challenges presented by the emergence of COVID-19.

As soon as we went into lockdown, a Reopening Committee led by Brenda Macintyre, was formed and tasked with integrating the national guidelines from all three sports into a bespoke plan for the safe reopening of the Ice Centre. The plan, with guidelines, directives and supporting documentation, is constantly being updated to comply with Government policy and reflect evolving best practice.

Over the summer, we have engaged and consulted, via Zoom, with representatives from all three ice disciplines and created ongoing forums where members and users will have the opportunity to express not only their immediate concerns, but also long term aspirations for their respective sports. With genuine engagement comes empowerment and aligned with more effective communication, the Ice Centre has now the structures in place that will allow the Board and stakeholders to jointly shape a route map to a brighter and more sustainable future.

However, the coming year is a transition year and as we navigate our way through uncharted waters, I would ask members and users to support the Ice Centre and their chosen sport, confident in the knowledge that they are returning to a facility where Health and Safety and their well-being is of paramount importance.

Michael G Green

Chairman Inverness Ice Centre