MASON CITY – Ice equipment issues at the North Iowa Ice Arena have caused a number of event delays at the venue.
At this time, there is no ice at the arena, so no ice-related activities are possible. Arena officials are waiting for parts to repair equipment that helps freeze water that goes on top of cement inside the hockey walls. Equipment related to a freon tower broke down, according to a source at the North Iowa Events Center. A patch was attempted but was unsuccessful.
No exact date is known for the parts to come in and repairs to be made. Until then, North Iowa Bulls Hockey home games are delayed at least until Friday, November 1st. The games on October 4th, 5th, 11th, and 26th have all been postponed due to ice equipment issues at the North Iowa Ice Arena, according to the team’s website.
Other activities, such as figure skating and ice skating are also on hold.
Officials hope the repairs can be made and the ice back in place by early November.
First and foremost, this is not the Bulls’ ice arena. It’s Mason City Youth Hockey’s arena, the Bulls are guests. This problem sets back youth hockey AND the high school hockey team, the Mohawks, which is really the heart and soul of the hockey program. These kids have no option. They can’t practice until the ice is fixed. The Bulls practice in Albert Lea. The hockey association has known about this archaic system for years and did nothing about it but pump thousands of dollars of freon into it to keep it going, rather than fix it.