Have a Soft Spot for Cinnaminson's Hockey Rink?

After being mostly abandoned and, consequently, falling into disrepair, the beloved (by some) hockey rink at Memorial Park is set to get a new lease on life.

The rink thrived for roughly a decade after the Cinnaminson Roller Hockey League was founded in 1995, according to former coach Brian Lowy, who ran the 6-8-Year-Old Division. But once surrounding towns started following Cinnaminson’s lead and formed their own leagues, the league folded, and the rink soon followed.

Even after the league went under, plenty of people used the rink for pickup games, Lowy said. Though not in the greatest condition, “a little groundswell of volunteerism” rejuvenated the rink and allowed it to survive up until recently, when it deteriorated to the point where the playing surface became unsafe.

When rumors began to circulate (not for the first time) that the township was considering leveling the rink, Lowy’s son, Tyler, stepped up and created a Facebook page to rally support. Tyler is a former member of the Roller Hockey League, having played for his dad as a youngster.

The page—which encourages supporters to come out , to help restore the rink—currently has 185 people who have pledged to come out and lend a hand.

“It was pretty resounding support,” said the elder Lowy. “There’s a deep-seated emotion with these kids and that rink.”

Township committeeman Don Brauckmann, director of parks and recreation, acknowledged the township had discussed doing away with the rink. Part of the problem, he said, is the rink has always been privately maintained and funded, and it’s become an “eyesore,” partly because the township never invested in its care.

However, Brauckmann said the township has set aside roughly $3,800 to repair the playing surface. The money was already in the budget for general capital improvements to Memorial Park.

The money will allow the township to make the minimum repairs to the surface, he explained. But it’s not a long-term fix.

Before the township invests any significant amount of money into the rink, “I want to see if this interest becomes something more long-term,” said Brauckmann. “Then we look at future budgets and investing more money in that.”

The committeeman said he’s hopeful the support for the rink will be sustained, as it could serve dual purposes for recreation: hockey (obviously) and fitness classes.

Brian Lowy said the work planned for the 30th won’t be anything too labor-intensive—just general cleanup, minor repairs—and even with the repairs to the playing surface, they’re not looking to recapture the rink’s glory days.

“If we can get it where it’s a safe rink again, I think you’ll see a lot of use,” he said.

Although it’s difficult to gauge the true level of support just from a Facebook page, Brian said he’s expecting a big turnout based on the social media response.

“We’ll see who shows up and actually rolls their sleeves up and does some work,” he said.

Want to volunteer to help clean up the hockey rink? Click over to Tyler Lowy's Facebook event page here to sign up. To volunteer for park cleanup day, head to your neighborhood park—or any other park—at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 30. The event will run from 9 a.m. until about 2 p.m. For information, contact Christine Turner at shawncraigmom@aol.com or 609-405-3953.