Arlington Residents and Washington Caps on Road to New Ice Rinks

ARLINGTON, VA-The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Washington Capitals organization has submitted the site plan for its new training facility, and expects to get a decision from the Arlington County Board in February. The new training center would be housed on an added floor to the Ballston Public Garage, and would offer two NHL-sized skating rinks at 85 ft by 200 ft that would be available for public use. If all goes as planned, the facility would debut in time for the 2003-2004 hockey season.

“We filed our application for the site plan and it’s in the 90-day review period,” Capitals Director of Operations George Parr explains to GlobeSt.com. “There is a site plan review hearing on Jan. 28 with the planning commission and [if a recommendation is made], the board will vote on our application in February.” Arlington County owns the Ballston Garage and plans to fund the additional floor to the seven-story building, and rent it to the Capitals for use as their practice facility. The community would benefit as well, with the opportunity to use the two rinks for figure skating, local hockey team games and other ice sports. Neither side is talking numbers. “I’m not going to say [what the cost is] at this point,” Parr adds. However, he did note that Board approval means that construction would likely begin this summer and last for about 12 to 13 months.