When first stepping a foot onto the ice skating rink in Greenville, NC people are hit with a blast of cold air. Somehow, people are excited about becoming cold for a good reason. Children’s eyes light up, grown-ups begin acting like children, and teenagers put huge smiles on their faces. This kind of excitement happens all around the world in most ice skating rinks. The people who step into the ice skating rink in Greenville get this exact same feeling. Comparing two rinks from North Carolina will help me evaluate this particular rink in size, amenities, and friendliness.

The Greenville ice skating rink is in the middle of the city. It is in a great location. The rink is not regulation size for hockey games or figure skating competitions. However, they still teach figure skating and hockey lessons on a weekly basis. The East Carolina University Pirates also play ice hockey there most weeks for their home game.

When comparing this ice skating rink with one in Raleigh, I found that it was very small and had fewer amenities. However, Greenville has around 76,000 people, while Raleigh has 350,000 people. People need to realize that before judging the Greenville rink by its size. In the following table I am going to show the differences between both ice skating rinks.

Greenville- Bladez on Ice	Raleigh- The IcePlex
450 Pair of Skate Rentals	1,500 Pair of Skate Rentals
Heated Snack Bar	Heated Snack Bar with large lounge
Small Game Room	Large Game Room
ProSkate Shop	ProSkate Shop
Figure Skating Apparel & Hockey Equipment	Figure Skating Apparel & Hockey Equipment
Small Parking Lot	Large Parking Lots
Adult Figure & Hockey Lessons	Children Camps
Children Figure & Hockey Lessons	Adult Figure & Hockey Lessons
ECU Hockey’s Home Rink	Children Figure & Hockey Lessons
Not even regulation size for competitions	The ONLY Olympic size sheet of ice in NC
Public Skating Cost $7.00	Numerous Hockey Leagues
	Public Skating Cost $7.50

          

                           

       The Greenville skating rink has a small heated area where you can grab a hot drink and a quick snack. They also have a small sized game room for the kids to play in. On the other side of the rink, there is a very small ProSkate shop. They sell hockey equipment and figure skating outfits and skates. However, they have to order most of their skates and equipment for the general public. Skating professionals offer adult figure skating, children figure skating, youth hockey, and adult hockey lessons. They are also home to the ECU Pirate hockey team. Sadly, this rink is not regulation size. However, it is the only rink within 70 miles for the pirate’s hockey team to play on. So they make due. For the small price of $7.00, you can skate here during the public skating hours. Bladez on Ice couldn’t have said it any better when stating, “Bladez on Ice is known as "The Coolest Place in Town"!!” (Bladez on Ice).

The Raleigh rink offers a very large heated snack bar and a heated lounge where you can sit and chat with friends while warming up. They also have large sized game room for the children. Right down the hall, there is a massive ProSkate shop. They have a lot of equipment and skates available for the public to purchase right there. During the summer, they conduct a children’s skating camp. All year long, they offer lessons in hockey and figure skating for both adults and children. The Raleigh IcePlex asks, “Did you know that the Raleigh IcePlex is North Carolina's ONLY Olympic Size Sheet of Ice?!” (Iceplex.com). And for only $7.50 you can skate here during the public skating hours.

Over the past twenty years, I have enjoyed coming to the Greenville ice skating rink. This was the only rink I had visited until recently. I would step onto the silky smooth ice at least once a week (sometimes more). Since I am at the rink often, the staff members know me exceptionally well. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. You can hear children laughing and playing in the game room. You see older adults holding hands while skating across the ice. But most importantly, you see the smiles on people’s faces while trying to stand up straight on the slick and sometimes impossible ice.

When stepping out onto the ice at the Raleigh rink, I was completely amazed how large the complex was. The staff members spoke to me with kindness. However, while looking around this complex, I noticed that it didn’t have a “home” feeling such as the Greenville complex. Parents were sitting on stands watching their children. The kids where trying to hard to impress their parents. There also wasn’t a whole lot of laughter coming from the game rooms.

Some people would say, the bigger the better. I don’t agree with that when it comes to an ice skating complex. While it may be nicer by appearances and size, feeling of the place is what really matters. Bladez on Ice really captures the family essence in this skating rink. They are driven to serve all the needs that are brought to attention. They have been my home away from home in the past several years. One review states, “I think that Bladez on Ice is awesome! I am a long time customer!!! They are also in new management/owner! They are very welcoming and have a WONDERFUL staff!!!” (insiderpages.com).

Bladez on Ice is open every day. They have a couple sessions a day where the public can come in and skate. The majority of the time there are practices taking place. Whether it is figure skating, hockey, or just random practices, there is always something going on at the rink. It is a wonderful atmosphere to be in. If you are looking to do a birthday party, a group skate, take a few lessons, or just go and have some fun, Bladez on Ice is the friendliest place to go in Eastern North Carolina.  

Sources

      Bladez on Ice. Bladezonice.com. 2007. 30 January 2012.

http://bladezonice.com/aboutus.html

Bladez on Ice. Insiderpages.com. 2012. 24 January 2012.

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/15237499807/bladez-on-ice-greenville

      The Raleigh IcePlex. Iceplex.com. 2008. 30 January 2012.

http://www.iceplex.com/about.shtml