Support for a Year-Round Ice Facility at Lloyd Center Master Plan

Thursday, February 12th, 2026

TO: City of Portland, Design Commission

RE: Support for a Year-Round Ice Facility at Lloyd Center Master Plan

Dear Members of the Portland Design Commission and Mayor Wilson,

On behalf of the Oregon Skating Council (OSC), we respectfully submit this letter to express our strong support for the inclusion of a permanent, year-round ice rink within the proposed Lloyd Center Master Plan.

For decades, Lloyd Center Ice Rink has served as a cornerstone of Oregon’s figure skating community and a vital training and gathering space for skaters of all ages and skill levels. As the US Figure Skating inter-club representing figure skating clubs* throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington, OSC recognizes this rink not simply as a recreational amenity, but as an essential athletic and community infrastructure.

A year-round ice facility is critical to sustaining:

• Youth programs that promote discipline, resilience, confidence, and healthy lifestyles
• Competitive athletes who represent Oregon at regional, national, and international levels
• Learn-To-Skate programs that expand access to all abilities
• Local competitions, performances, and exhibitions that generate economic and cultural activity
• A safe, structured, positive environment for families throughout the region

Equally important is access. A centrally located, transit-accessible rink in the urban core creates opportunity for minority communities, inner-city youth, and families who may not otherwise have access to organized ice sports. Year-round facilities provide consistency, and consistency is what allows young athletes from diverse backgrounds to participate, grow, and thrive.

Seasonal or temporary ice does not provide the same community benefit. Skill development, competitive training, and inclusive programming require reliable, uninterrupted access. When ice time disappears, participation declines, and those most affected are often youth from underserved communities.

The Lloyd rink’s location makes it uniquely positioned to serve families from across Portland and the greater metropolitan area. Its continued presence aligns with Portland’s goals of equity, youth development, active living, and community-centered design.

Ice facilities are difficult and costly to build. Once removed from the urban core, they are rarely replaced. Preserving a permanent, year-round rink within this redevelopment is not simply about maintaining tradition, it is about safeguarding access, opportunity, and long-term community benefit.

This proposal directly implicates adopted Central City policies, including Policy 1.LD-3 (Tourism, Retail, and Entertainment), which calls for expanding civic attractions and regional destinations; Policy 2.LD-3 (Community Building), which requires public spaces that celebrate district history and strengthen community life; and Policy 5.LD-1 (Diverse and Distinctive Urban Places), which directs development to reinforce the unique character of Lloyd subareas. The Lloyd Center Ice Rink has long functioned as a year-round civic attraction and a defining historic and social anchor for the district. In addition, Central City Fundamental Design Guideline A6 (Reuse / Rehabilitate / Restore) and CC2035 Policy 6.LD-1 (Sustainable District) requires evaluation of reuse, rehabilitation, or restorative approaches where practical. The current record does not explain how full demolition of a functioning civic facility advances these policies, nor why reuse, preservation, or integration of the rink was deemed impractical. Absent that explanation, the record does not yet provide substantial evidence supporting approval.

We respectfully urge the Design Commission and the Mayor’s Office to recognize the civic, social, and economic value of maintaining a year-round ice facility as part of the Lloyd District’s future.

Respectfully,

Summer Browner
President, Oregon Skating Council

*Bend Ice Figure Skating Club, Carousel Figure Skating Club, Eugene Figure Skating, Portland Ice Skating Club, Southern Oregon Figure Skating Club, Winterhawks Figure Skating Club