Lynah Rink Refurbishment

[KateWithThe8]

Though pretty much filled with the ambiguous information we've heard in the past, and while "no decisions have been made yet regarding the final design of the rink's improvements", I guess this is meant to give us a bit more information on the plans for the rink renovations.  No mention of a real timeline either.

From the Daily Sun this morning:  http://www.cornellsun.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/12/03/41affee41a179

[billhoward]

First the new locker rooms get built and then Cornell considers possible expansion of seating. For the expanded seating that hasn't been planned let alone contracted, one trusts Cornell can do enough construction from mid-March through September to have the building usable without needing to spend the first month, let alone the season, on the road.

Interpolating from the story: No additional Lynah seating planned now, but the planned locker room rehab/new placement makes it possible. Clearing out the current west end of the rink means you could in the future add, what, 500 to 750 (1000?) seats. Getting to 4,500 seats would be a nice round number from the current 3836 (which includes standees?). If the rink were a perfect oval, how many seats could Cornell add based on what's at the east end now?


The Ivy League hockey rinks' capacities (although our competition is really more than that for the best players):

Dartmouth 4500 (built 1975)
Cornell 3836 (1958)
Yale 3486 (1958)
Harvard 2,776 available if not often used seats (1956 but renovated)
Brown 2495 (1962) (the Ivy school most in need of more space given the team's general success in hockey)
Princeton 2100 seats (built 1921 but enhanced)
(also almost-Ivy Colgate 2246 (1959))

Speaking of renovation, has anyone seen a rink where the end glass goes all the way up, rather than netting? The netting is important for safety, but it kills visibility (I think).

Who's been to Dartmouth, the Ivies' newest rink, in the last 5 years? Does the place still look relatively modern or is it starting to fade?

From the story >>> ... officials envision building brand new team facilities on either the south or south-west side of the ice surface. The new facilities will place the coaches' offices in much closer proximity to the locker rooms than in the current set up.... One thing that this phase of renovations will not include is expanded seating capacity. However, no version of the plans places the new team facilities in their current location, at the west end of the rink, as to not rule out potential expansion in the future.

[CowbellGuy]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:
the current 3836 (which includes standees?)[/q]
Nope.
[q]If the rink were a perfect oval, how many seats could Cornell add based on what's at the east end now?[/q]
You'd have to invent a flying Zamboni first.
[q]Who's been to Dartmouth, the Ivies' newest rink, in the last 5 years? Does the place still look relatively modern or is it starting to fade?[/q]
Still my favorite rink in terms of facilities, sight lines and general esthetics. Better now that people actually go to the game.

[mjh89]

Speaking of renovation, has anyone seen a rink where the end glass goes all the way up, rather than netting?


Is this a joke?

[billhoward]

Unless there's an NHL / NCAA rule regulating the height of the backboards / glass  (so that shots X feet high or more are out of play), fans *might* prefer sitting behind glass more than netting. Or they might not.

Dartmouth's old rink was chain link fence all around (this would be going waaaay back) and the crowd hated the obstructed view. And they hated it worse when Dartmouth fans would curl their fingers through the fencing, yell curses at Cornell players, only to have the Cornell player (legend has it) lose his balance and slide to the ice with his stick running down the fencing, abrading a couple dozen sets of hands.

[RichH]

[Q]"This is one of the last remaining athletic facilities [on Cornell's campus] that hasn't been touched since it was built," said men's hockey coach Mike Schafer '86. "Some other facilities are on their second renovation, it's about time that this rink is going to have [improvements]."[/Q]
Not touched?  What about the replacement of the boards, glass, entire ice cooling system, new ceiling insulation, speakers, and lights a few years ago.  There was also connecting to the concourse of the big white building and upgrades to the home locker room before that too. Granted, many of those were minor and necessary improvements, but I wouldn't say it "hasn't been touched."  Heck, that little electric heater on the rafter above Section A worked up until the late-90s.  I hope plugging that back in is part of the rennovation plans.

[Q]"There's going to be a modern lobby, a wide concourse, so that when somebody walks into a game, they'll be able to walk up and down the isles much easier," Schafer said.[/Q]
First of all, I demand imported marble for the new lobby.  And a guarantee that we never change our team's nickname.  ;-) 2nd of all, won't being able to walk up and down the aisles [sic] more easily have a negative impact on seating capacity?  The room behind the seating is in need of widening, as anyone who tries to walk behind G-H and L-O during intermissions can attest to.

[Josh 03]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

Brown 2495 (1962) (the Ivy school most in need of more space given the team's general success in hockey)

[/q]

I've been to Meehan Auditorium a few times and based on attendance, I can't imagine them needing more space, and that's with a large contingent of Faithful in the area for the Lynah East weekend.

~Josh

[calgARI '07]

Two weekends ago was my first trip to Dartmouth and I can safely say that their rink is awesome and what Cornell should strive for.  Too bad Dartmouth can't fill their beautiful rink though.  I don't really think that would be an issue with added seats to Lynah though.

[Killer]

Agreed.  We went last season and again a couple weeks ago.  Very nice facility.  Clean, well-lit, easy to get around.  Would love to have those comfy seats with the backs at Lynah (OK, for us old folks who occasionally sit during a game...LOL).

[David Harding]

[Q]CowbellGuy Wrote:

[Q2]If the rink were a perfect oval, how many seats could Cornell add based on what's at the east end now?[/Q]
You'd have to invent a flying Zamboni first.
[/q]

You'd have to cut out a tunnel for the Zamboni, but the seats could go over that.
You also need an entrance or two or three for players and officials.

[David Harding]

[Q]billhoward Wrote:

 Unless there's an NHL / NCAA rule regulating the height of the backboards / glass  (so that shots X feet high or more are out of play), fans *might* prefer sitting behind glass more than netting. Or they might not.

Dartmouth's old rink was chain link fence all around (this would be going waaaay back) and the crowd hated the obstructed view. And they hated it worse when Dartmouth fans would curl their fingers through the fencing, yell curses at Cornell players, only to have the Cornell player (legend has it) lose his balance and slide to the ice with his stick running down the fencing, abrading a couple dozen sets of hands. [/q]

Going waaaaay back, when I first started going to games at Lynah there was chain link fence behind the goals and around the corners, but nothing above the boards anywhere else.  You sometimes ended up with a player or two in your lap.  

[Townie]

I dread the thought, but with people getting beaned with pucks, I wonder when the first law suit will prompt university risk management folks to require full netting.  :`(

[atb9]

read the back of your ticket

[nyc94]

[Q]atb9 Wrote:

 read the back of your ticket[/q]

Like that would stop a lawyer from filing.

::rolleyes::

[atb9]

the University has plenty of lawyers...filing is not the problem.