A new ball/inline skate rink at Lake Fairfax Park is open for business. The Fairfax County Park Authority and Washington Capitals joined to commemorate the opening of the ball/inline skate rink on Saturday, May 11 with an official ribbon cutting ceremony and free hockey skills clinic.
“This was a phenomenal day to celebrate the opening of a wonderful new ball/inline skate rink – a first for the Fairfax County Park Authority,” said Park Authority Executive Director Jai Cole. “One of the reasons we have a world class park system is that we work with our community to provide a wide variety of amenities to support a whole world of interests. From sports, recreation and fitness to nature, history and the arts, we are committed to seeking out and providing diverse opportunities to serve our community.”
The ball/inline skate rink at Lake Fairfax Park boasts an 85-foot-by-185-foot rink with player boxes, penalty boxes, hockey goals and bleachers. The rink, constructed with sport floor tiles on an asphalt pad, is ideal for roller hockey and skating, with easy maintenance and modular tile replacement. The project was made possible in partnership with the Capitals who donated the rink via turnkey installation on an improved site constructed by the Park Authority.
"The Capitals are proud to partner with the Fairfax County Park Authority on this new facility," said Capitals director of youth hockey development Peter Robinson. "Investments like this one are part of the Capitals commitment to growing the game of hockey by providing access to the sport in all its forms. This new outdoor rink is focused on ball hockey and inline hockey, and we are excited for the programming that will take place here for years to come."
The rink is currently open for general use (when not reserved) from 9 a.m. until dark. Once the lighting is programmed, the rink will remain open until 9:30 p.m. For more information about the rink, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lake-fairfax/skate-park and select the “Inline Skate Rink” tab.
Lake Fairfax Park is located at 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, in Reston.
The Capitals are committed to providing access to hockey across the region and to date have refurbished or built 14 rinks across Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. To further encourage the growth of the game, the Capitals Youth Hockey Development staff holds clinics in conjunction with the refurbishment of each rink. A complete list of rinks can be found at washcaps.com/streetrinks. The Capitals also offer a robust lineup of on- and off-ice youth hockey programming, including a Future Caps Learn to Play program, Hockey Schools, Try Ball Hockey for Free, and more. For additional information, visit CapsYouthHockey.com.
