Change.org<\/a> petition has gathered more than 6,000 signatures from supporters hoping to reverse the decision.<\/p>\nMany say the closure will impact far more than just those on the ice.<\/p>\n
A community beyond skating<\/p>\n
For years, the rink has served as a hub for multiple ice sports and a gathering place for families across the Houston area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe community is so healthy,\u201d said Will Rassman, a hockey coach and parent. \u201cThe different sports that come through\u2014it\u2019s constantly busy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rassman says the rink also plays a key role in supporting surrounding businesses inside Memorial City Mall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is more focused on health and well-being than a rink in the middle of a mall?\u201d said Rassman.<\/p>\n
Fewer options in a sprawling city<\/p>\n
While some may suggest skaters can simply move to another rink, families say that\u2019s not a realistic solution.<\/p>\n
Houston\u2014one of the largest cities in the country\u2014already has a limited number of ice rinks. Families say losing one adds strain to an already stretched system.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re anywhere near downtown, it\u2019s going to take you at least 40 minutes to get to any other rink,\u201d Rassman said.<\/p>\n
For families juggling school, work, and multiple activities, that extra travel time can be a dealbreaker.<\/p>\n
And for athletes, not all rinks offer the same opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Galleria is also not regulation size,\u201d said figure skater Mackenzie Nall. \u201cSo hockey players can\u2019t play there, and high-level figure skating isn\u2019t possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Concerns about the future of the sport<\/p>\n
Some parents and coaches worry the closure could push kids out of skating and hockey altogether.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ve already seen that some have said if they don\u2019t have a convenient choice, they\u2019ll go play something else,\u201d said Rassman.<\/p>\n
He adds that fewer facilities could also impact the long-term growth of ice sports in Houston.<\/p>\n
\u201cHouston has a lot of talent,\u201d Rassman said. \u201cWe need places for these kids to practice. The loss of Memorial is a huge blow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Memories on the ice<\/p>\n
For many young skaters, Memorial City Ice Rink is where they reached milestones and built lifelong friendships.<\/p>\n
Skaters said it\u2019s a rink where they accomplished major achievements.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where I first landed my axel,\u201d said Nall. \u201cEverybody\u2019s support helped me so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others also said it\u2019s a place they discovered a lifelong passion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I finally made a perfect spin, I was just so happy. I felt like the ice was made for me,\u201d said figure skater Emily Breautigan.<\/p>\n
Why rinks are closing nationwide<\/p>\n
The Memorial City closure reflects a broader trend across the country.<\/p>\n
Ice rinks nationwide have been shutting down due to rising energy costs, aging infrastructure, and redevelopment plans. Recent closures include Valley Ice Center in California and Centre Ice Arena in Delaware.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for MetroNational, the company that owns Memorial City Mall, sent KPRC 2 the following statement:<\/p>\n
In November 2025, MetroNational submitted plans for enhancements that included the relocation and construction of the mall\u2019s main entrance. Once this work begins, we will be unable to maintain the required ice conditions, and the ice rink will need to close, permanently. Accordingly, the Memorial City Ice Rink will officially conclude operations on Friday, July 31, 2026.<\/p>\n
In light of this timeline, Memorial City Ice Rink will not be accepting registrations for the fall season. The rink will remain open for the remainder of the Spring season (April \u2013 June), and Open Skate, Freestyle skate and Learn to Skate programs will continue as scheduled until operations conclude on July 31, 2026.<\/p>\n
Although this decision is difficult given that the space has hosted years of memories, this transition allows us to thoughtfully reinvest in the long-term growth of our community and is part of our broader commitment to ensuring our experience offerings align with the needs of West Houston both today and in the years to come.<\/p>\n
We are sincerely grateful to the patrons, staff, coaches, user groups and community partners who made the rink a special place over the years. The memories created here will always remain an important part of our community\u2019s story. To ensure the spirit of the rink lives on, all usable equipment from the ice rink will be donated to other rinks and community organizations to support future skaters and programs.<\/p>\n
MetroNational remains committed to continued reinvestment and growth in West Houston. With the recent acquisition of CityCentre, M-K-T Heights, and the opening of Greenside later this year, we are continually evolving to deliver the best in retail, dining, and entertainment experiences.<\/p>\n
We look forward to sharing future plans for the space in the months ahead.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 For many in Houston\u2019s skating community, Memorial City Ice Rink is more than just a place…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":257450,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[96786,56,58,57,96784,96787,38689,96785],"class_list":{"0":"post-257449","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston","8":"tag-figure-skating-houston","9":"tag-houston","10":"tag-houston-headlines","11":"tag-houston-news","12":"tag-houston-skating-facilities","13":"tag-ice-rink-protest","14":"tag-memorial-city-mall","15":"tag-youth-sports-houston"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257449"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257449\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/257450"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=257449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=257449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}