Plan to turn former hardware store into ice hockey hub

Plans have been announced to turn a hardware store at Springfield Central operated by the failed Masters chain into new headquarters for Ice Hockey Queensland (IHQ) and for the building to be converted into a competition ice hockey rink.

Revealed in the Queensland Times, the plan reportedly has the backing of Ipswich City Mayor Paul Pisasale, who said that such a development would leave a wonderful legacy for the city for generations.

IHQ has submitted an expression of interest to Woolworths to secure the site at Springfield Central which, if it goes ahead would enable IHQ to field a team in the national league and host elite overseas teams in tournaments.

Experienced industry consultant Rob Camping of Project and Development Services Pty Ltd has been engaged by IHQ to investigate the possibilities at Springfield Central.

Camping told the Queensland Times that the IHQ was looking to repurpose an existing building and the Masters building might be "just the right size", stating “we need to do some investigations of the space inside the building to see if it can accommodate an ice rink.

"Right now those investigations are under way.

"Ice rinks are not meant to have columns sticking up through them. The shopping centre is full of columns and we have to figure out how to remove them, which is what the builder is doing at the moment.

"The opportunity is certainly there and if we can get somebody like Paul Pisasale behind us it would be brilliant."

The QT understands that Woolworths is unlikely to want competitors such as Costco or IGA in the building.

However, retailers are also interested in the building.

Mayor Pisasale explained that while "there was a lot of interest in the building ... it would be a great site to be the Ice Hockey Queensland headquarters and for the city to get behind a team in the national comp and host international teams.

"Importantly, it would open up a new sport for Ipswich people in ice hockey."

IHQ President Con Dionissiou said securing a headquarters to be proud of was what his organisation was committed to achieving.

Dionissiou stated “our number one priority is to establish an ice hockey-centric facility in south-east Queensland.”

At present IHQ has an office that operates out of Acacia Ridge Ice World, but Dionissiou said that was not ideal.

Looking forward to a potential new home in Springfield, Dionissiou added “while it would be the home of Ice Hockey Queensland, it would be a multi-sport and multi-use facility so it could be used for community events, figure-skating, curling, speed skating and other ice-type events.”

At present ice hockey shares what is known as 'ice time' at the Boondall and Acacia Ridge centres with other ice sports.

However, Dionissiou explains “tere is not enough ice time to go around for all the ice sports.

"Ice hockey has grown and we have outgrown those two establishments, both of which probably don't meet the needs of the elite level athlete from a facilities perspective.

"We are falling behind the southern states.

"We don't have teams in the national competition at senior or junior level, because we don't have the ice time."

Click here to view the story in the Queensland Times.

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