Fife Ice Arena
| Fife Ice Arena | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | Rosslyn Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, KY1 3HS |
| Built | 1937 |
| Opened | 1938 |
| Owner | Kirkcaldy Ice Rink Limited |
| Architect | Williamson & Hubbard |
| Former names | Kirkcaldy Ice Rink |
| Tenants | Fife Flyers (Elite Ice Hockey League) Kirkcaldy Kestrels (Scottish National League) |
| Capacity | Ice Hockey: 3525 |
Fife Ice Arena (originally known as Kirkcaldy Ice Rink) opened in 1938. Kirkcaldy Ice Rink was designed by architects Williamson & Hubbard.[1] Fife Ice Arena is the home venue of the oldest remaining team in Great Britain - the Fife Flyers.
The Fife Free Press dated February 2, 1938, announced 30,000 ordinary shares at 1d each in a proposed new rink in the town—25,000 shares were offered for subscription. On February 17, plans to build the rink in the Gallatown were presented to, and approved by, Kirkcaldy Dean of Guilds Court. The one-storey building contained seating for 4,500 and would cost £37,000 to construct. To put that figure into context the town's fire station, also opened that year, cost £15,000.
The building was to have a carcass of steel stanchions and a roof span of 145 feet without any supporting pillars except those at the extremities, making it the widest construction of its kind in Scotland at the time.
The rink's ground level would consist of an entrance hall, general office, booking office, confectioners and tobacconist, cloakroom with provision for a large restaurant, and a milk bar. Facilities also included dressing rooms with spray baths, while immediately above the entrance was the boardroom, bandstand and manager's office. The plans also had a touch of class—the restaurant featured Parker-Knoll chairs, curtains designed by Dame Laura Knight, as well as monogrammed cutlery.
Much of the work was carried out by local tradesmen, including plumber James Blyth, while the original sound system came from E. Donaldson of Kirk Wynd. The builder was James Ramsay of Leslie, while joiner D. Mitchell & Sons, also of Leslie, worked on the roof.
Gallery
Original Analogue Hockey Clock 
Current Electronic Clock & Scoreboard 
Kirkcaldy Ice Rink circa 1938 
Kirkcaldy Ice Rink circa 1938 showing the Original Analogue Hockey Clock in the background 
Public Skating at Kirkcaldy Ice Rink circa 1938
