October 2020 marked the 45th anniversary of the dedication of the Winterhurst Ice Rink but ice skating in Lakewood dates back about 80 years when Lakewood's outdoor facility was one of the largest in the world and ice skating was an integral part of wintertime Lakewood community life. Generations of residents remember fondly, the days and nights spent gliding through gently falling snowflakes, sometimes falling not so gently!

To fully tell the Winterhurst story one must go back to 1931 when the original rink was built by the City Ice and Fuel Company. Its 30,000 square feet proved to be the largest in the world.

In 1957 the rink was purchased by John Nolan and it remained in private ownership until 1961 when it was purchased by the City of Lakewood.

The city immediately began to pump money into the facility which was beginning to show its age. On November 11, 1961, the renovated rink reopened with its new name-

Lakewood Winterhurst Municipal Rink.

The renovated rink was a great improvement, but soon sentiment began to grow in the community for an indoor, year-round facility. In 1973, then Lakewood Mayor Robert Lawther put forth a proposal for the present structure. The go-ahead was received in 1974 and dedication ceremonies were held the following year on October 29, 1975. Features of the new structure included dual rinks, separate temperature controls and sound systems for each rink, an upstairs Parents' Lounge for viewing, and specially adapted lighting to accommodate a variety of ice-use functions.

Winterhurst has drawn Olympic hopefuls from around the country to train with hometown coach and former Olympian Carol Heiss Jenkins. Some of her pupils, such as USFSA gold medalist, Tonia Kwiatkowski have also joined the training staff.

In 2008 the city of Lakewood reached an agreement with Ice Land USA to lease Winterhurst Ice Rink for five years. During this time, Ice Land found a Sponsor in Serpentini Chevrolet to help renovate the rink and maintain its historic reputation. Today Winterhurst remains a first-rate facility as well as a valuable community asset.

 

Club Roots

The Winterhurst Figure Skating Club (WFSC) was founded in 1976 with Mrs. Jom Kinzie as president and Jack Jost as head professional. The club at that time had 150 members and rented 8 hours of ice a week. Today, the membership is about the same, but the professional staff has grown allowing members a variety of choices and coaching styles.

In 1982, the Winterhurst Figure Skating School was established by the club and the Lakewood Board of Education. The school offers athletic and academic training for the serious skater who meets the admission requirements.

WFSC has hosted a variety of exhibitions, competitions, and ice shows. In 1985, the club hosted United States Precision Championships, one of the largest competitions ever undertaken. 

WFSC is truly the home of champions - both past and present. Our goal is to provide all skaters with a professional, safe and fun skating environment so that they can achieve their figure skating goals. We are home to basic skill skaters through National, Junior National and World competitors. Everyone at Winterhurst is proud of our facility and happy to be your hosts. The heart and soul of our club is our many active members and volunteers.

​

Come Join Us!