Durham ice rink project
THE EXHIBITION
In April 2024 the exhibition brought together the community spirit, passion and heritage of Durham ice rink. Opened in the 1930s, Durham ice rink proved a huge success until its closure in 1996. Its lasting legacy, captured through a collection of memorabilia, photographs and memories, serves as an opportunity to celebrate the ice rink community.
Our exhibition was the first time the community was brought back together and the story was told since the closure of the ice rink. Alongside the exhibition we gathered stories, digitised collections and were able to bring new life to a hugely important part of Durham’s history.
'The ‘Durham Ice Rink Project’ was always something I had in the back of my mind. It started from listening to my parents and grandparents talk about the time they spent there. When long lost friends from the ice rink meet, you hear the stories and see the smiles on their faces, getting a glimpse of how special that place was.’
— Lewis Hobson
Averaging over 100 people per day throughout the exhibition, it was all about bringing people together.
‘Being at the ice rink were some of my first childhood memories. Thank you for letting me share them with my children. Absolutely wonderful exhibition.
-Lynsey Jenkins
Great exhibition. Brought back good memories. I got hit by a puck in 1986 and I kept it all these years. I brought it today. So sad we have no ice rink now.
-Anonymous
With support from the story at mount oswald, we were able to show people a timeline of the recorded history. As well as recording some of our own with the seating map that people added their names to.
A lovely trip down memory lane. I remember catching the bus into Durham every Saturday afternoon to visit the rink. This is where I learned to skate and met my first boyfriend. So sad the ice rink isn’t there any more for the younger generation to enjoy.
-Tina
the trophies
Whilst we recorded interviews and consulted people on the exhibition, many people asked “Where are the trophies?”
Among the tumultuous end to the ice rink, the trophies from one of the most successful teams in British ice hockey were lost.
Re-discovering the trophies after them being lost for nearly three decades and being able to display them for the community was a huge triumph.
The story of the ice rink and the trophies continues as we seek a permanent home and restoration for them.
More stories to be told
Part of the exhibition was telling the stories that have not been told. Many parts of life at the ice rink were not recorded officially in game programs or photographs.
We were able to work with those who started one of the first women’s hockey teams in the UK, figure skaters, speed skaters and people who made the ice rink a multi-generational community hub.
We learned so much about the history, we struggled to document it all. There is much more work to do and many more stories to be told.
Durham ice rink
Project Q&A
What was the ice rink?
Durham ice rink was a community hub, home to the hugely successful Durham Wasps ice hockey team. Both of which are sadly lost, along with much of the history, with very few records telling the story. Located on The Sands, where the passport office currently stands, it was the vision of local entrepreneur ‘Icy’ Smith that saw the rink open in the 1940’s. It found success with the Canadian pilots stationed nearby during the war, and went on to create one of the most famous names in ice hockey; The Durham Wasps. The story ended with the team being bought out, moved to Newcastle and the rink closing shortly after.
What will the project be?
After a successful exhibition of loaned artefacts from people’s time at the ice rink, we’re now producing a documentary about the process. At the end of the project, there will be a large scale public mural painted to honour the history.
Why do we need a project like this?
We want to understand why the ice rink was important to so many people, what we lost and what we can do for future generations? We want to inform both our practise of providing support for arts and culture in Durham, and to help people explore the recent history of our shared community spaces.
Durham is home to many left behind areas and huge levels of inequality. Coundon, just 10 miles away from the city centre, 20 minutes by car has 54.1% of children living in relative poverty. With huge levels of inequality between neighbouring city areas Old Elvet/Whinney Hill and Sherburn Road with 3.1% percent and 45.1% of children in relative poverty respectively. We want to explore what the city centre means to people in County Durham, and what it needs to be going forward.
Why should CYAN_CIC organise this?
Born and raised in Durham, we have family members who went to games, played hockey and grew up hearing stories about the ice rink. We want to learn more about the place we live and the people we know.
How is the project funded?
The documentary has been funded in stages, first by ourselves, then by The Story and now as part of Place Labs.
We’ve released a trailer for the project, our exhibition was in April and we are continuing to film for the documentary. We’re looking for more stories from the ice rink, as well as potential walls for the mural.
Do you have a story about the rink?
Get in touch: artist@cyancic.uk