Eagles Ice-A-Rena: re-birth of a rink

There is a buzz around Eagles Ice-A-Rena.

The north Spokane facility is more than 30 years old, but the new owners, their employees, and the rink’s tenants have bigger smiles on their faces these days. The paint seems a little brighter and the ice a little shinier.

Long-time operators Tim Everson and Denny Miner, along with their wives, recently completed the purchase of the rink from the Eagles. It has led to a rebirth for the Spokane hockey and ice skating communities in the wake of Planet Ice’s closing last spring.

No one is happier with the situation than the Junior B Spokane Braves hockey team. At the end of last season, the Braves faced an uncertain future with the loss of their home rink.

The Spokane Flyers team was based out of Eagles then, but their owner has since relocated the franchise to Coeur d’Alene and will be operating out of the remodeled KYRO rink off Seltice Way. That opened the way for the Braves to return to their original home at Eagles.

“I had a hard time leaving when I did before, but it’s really good to be back,” said Bob Tobiason, Braves owner and general manager.

“For the Braves to come back here, just in talking to them, I can see they’re pretty excited to be back here and playing again at the Eagles,” said Everson. “We’re glad to have them back.”

The Braves will open their Kootenay International Junior Hockey League home season this weekend with a pair of games at Eagles with a team coach Mike Bay said may be his most talented.

Evan Witt, a Spokane Chiefs prospect, is unexpectedly back with the team. Witt was the Braves’ top scorer last year and wanted to play Junior A in Canada. But his eligibility appeal was denied, so he came back to the Braves.

“We started out, we only had six guys back, now we’re up to 10 (returnees),” said Bay. “I’m happy with the way things are.”

Bay said he was able to familiarize himself with more Spokane hockey products during the summer by being at Eagles, which has re-established itself as the center of Spokane’s skating universe.

Eagles is now home to the Inland Figure Skating Club, formerly at Planet Ice, and the Lilac City Figure Skating Club. The Spokane Chiefs use the facility for many of their practices when Arena ice is unavailable.

The Chiefs, along with nearly all the tenants, including the Spokane Oldtimers and Grinders, have new or remodeled dressing rooms at the facility.

The renaissance is the culmination of a three-year process that became possible when the Eagles broached the idea with Everson. He wasn’t sure then, especially with Planet Ice still open, but said it all worked out for the best.

“At first, I didn’t think it was a very smart idea,” said Everson, who noted all the facilities in town were struggling financially at the time. “The more we thought about it, we thought we’d go ahead and make an offer. … We didn’t have a crystal ball to know what was going to happen with Planet Ice. With that facility closing, that will mean a lot more revenue coming into our facility. We’ll be running strong from 6 in the morning until midnight on both rinks – pretty much seven days a week.”

For his part, Miner said he had no doubts about purchasing the facility he’s been with since its first day. He is the man who keeps the ice cold, keeps the Zambonis running, and co-manages the facility with Everson.

“Never (any doubts), forward all the way,” said Miner. “It means a lot to now have control of it. It’s security – something for the city of Spokane that will be here a long time now.”

Eagles also remains the home of the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association and adult recreational leagues. Several hockey players have seen their playing careers at Eagles span from learn-to-skate sessions, through “rep” hockey, to the Braves and beyond.

“Some of our Oldtimers have kids who are coming up through the ranks now,” said Tobiason, who is also a member of the Oldtimers.

It’s that legacy connection that puts a smile on Everson’s face as co-owner after 26 years as an employee.

“I’ve always been a hockey player myself and have been around the game since I was young,” said Everson. “Just to see the level of hockey and the numbers of hockey players here growing by leaps and bounds this fall, it is very exciting.”

Yet it’s not something Everson, 55, envisioned for himself until recently.

“At the age where most people are probably thinking about how they’re going to spend their retirement, now I’m half-owner of a facility like this,” he said.

Asked how long he and Miner, 52, might be doing it, Everson said with a chuckle, “It’s very hard to say, right now. We signed a loan for 20 years, so I guess we’re looking at 20 years.”