Scottish Ice Hockey has urged North Lanarkshire Council to pause plans around the proposed redevelopment of the Time Capsule ice rink, calling for greater scrutiny, consultation, and a full review of alternative options.

In a letter to the Communities Committee, Chairman John Colley raised concerns that the process has moved towards a preferred option without clear evidence of meaningful consultation with clubs, governing bodies, and regular users of the facility.  

Consultation and process concerns

The letter highlights that engagement on replacement provision is not the same as consultation on removing the ice rink entirely. For a decision of this scale, Scottish Ice Hockey states that a structured approach would normally include stakeholder engagement, a full options appraisal, and collaborative solution development — none of which are clearly evidenced at this stage.  

Demand and missed opportunities

Scottish Ice Hockey also challenges any suggestion that demand is declining, pointing instead to growth and evolving participation formats across the sport.

It argues that current usage may reflect operational constraints rather than true demand, and that a number of commercial opportunities — including extended opening hours, sponsorship, and improved programming — have not yet been fully explored.  

Call to pause and review

The organisation has formally asked the Committee to:

• Clarify what consultation has taken place
• Confirm whether retention options have been fully explored
• Pause the decision to allow proper engagement with stakeholders  

Scottish Ice Hockey maintains that there is a genuine opportunity to develop a sustainable model that retains ice provision while addressing financial challenges, and has stated it is ready to work collaboratively to support that process.

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Have your say

A petition has been launched on the future of the Time Capsule ice rink.

Scottish Ice Hockey is encouraging the wider community to get involved and ensure their voice is heard.