Panorama City ice rink set to shut down, devastating players and parents

A group of student athletes and parents made a last-ditch effort to save their beloved ice rink in Panorama City Monday after its owners announced the plan to shutter the rink for good.

Families and coaches said they were notified that the LA Kings Valley Ice Center in Panorama City was sold, and the new owners will be closing its largest rink, putting a youth hockey program in jeopardy.

Everly Corrington is among 200 players who are hoping to convince the new owners to keep the rink open.

“(Hockey) has been my dream ever since I was 3,” Everly said. The 10-year-old is the captain of the team, California Heat, playing among boys.

“Without our big ice, then we can’t have a home rink here for our families, and that will essentially either mean we need to relocate or our club will be no longer,” said Kelly Stirzel, director of hockey for California Heat.

Other than Panorama City, Burbank is the closest rink. And because there aren’t a lot of hockey rinks in the area, many of the student athletes will have to stop playing, Stirzel said.

“This is a huge outlet for our community and huge outlet for our kids and our families to come together and be a part of something bigger than themselves,” he said, explaining losing the hockey program could change who the young players grow up to be.

The LA Kings have a branding agreement with the rink. The hockey club is hoping to get some support from the professional team to help convince the owners not to close the rink.

NBC Los Angeles reached out to the general manager of the rink for a statement on the closure but did not hear back.