It was another great day out on the streets.  Great day to enjoy the sunshine, great chocolate (I particularly liked Au Poulet's Chicken Chocolate Mole).  We really love spreading the word on what is happening with Berkeley Iceland and the alternative which would get our community rink back!  The almost universal response to the possible Sports Basement plans was one of dismay and disappointment. 

To all of those who asked what they could do to help, our suggestion was to contact people to let them know that a rink is a much more needed and sensible use for Berkeley Iceland than another large retail outlet.  Follow this link for a list of suggested contacts that need to hear from the community.

Thanks again to everyone for their support to Save Berkeley Iceland!

While the weather may not seem like it, Street Fair season has started again and SBI will be there.  This weekend the yummy Chocolate and Chalk Festival will take place in North Berkeley.  This is our third year attending and we love meeting folks, sharing stories, and talking about our dreams and aspirations for Berkeley Iceland.

The sidewalks along North Shattuck Ave. in the Gourmet Ghetto in Berkeley are the target of artists young and old, professional and greenhorn during the 15th annual CHOCOLATE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL on Saturday, June 11, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Come visit SBI and adorn the sidewalks with your hopes and wishes for the return of skating to Berkeley! See you there!

For more information on the festival, check out the Chocolate & Chalk Festival's page.

Four years ago, when the current owners decided to close Berkeley Iceland, our community lost an ice rink and a lot more.   While riding by the building and seeing how they continue to let its appearance deteriorate, I thought about what I miss most about Berkeley Iceland and what will be gained with its return as a rink.

Community - More than just a rink - a Berkeley icon which brought everyone a bit closer.  In spite of the conditions in its later years, Berkeley Iceland was that special place you could go and feel comfortable that you would fit in.  Whether a regular rink rat or an occasional board hugger, you knew that you were part of a community when you were at Berkeley Iceland.

Opportunities for Discovery - Sometimes just having the chance to try something that was totally outside your daily life can change your life.  Berkeley Iceland provided the opportunity for kids of all backgrounds to get on the ice and discover a new passion.  I'm related to one of those kids for whom skating became an important part of her life from which she learned discipline, goal setting and achieving, and value of teamwork.  When Berkeley Iceland closed, many of the kids who were finding their passions for figure skating or hockey were cut off - mostly kids without the means to go elsewhere and follow that spark.

What better supports a community - a 71,500 sq. ft. discount sports store or new housing and a restored recreation ice center?  Shopping or housing and skating?  This is the decision which is presented to Berkeley with the proposed purchase of Berkeley Iceland by Sports Basement.  Details of Sports Basement's plan have now been made public with their application for a new Use Permit and request for parking waiver (details available here).  The basic information on the plans include:

• Proposed size - 71,500 sq. ft.  The plan includes about 17,000 sq. ft. of new space in mezzanine level and removing the majority of the interior seating and supporting earth under them to expand the usable ground level space.
• Parking Provided - The external berms will be replaced by 39 to 41 new parking spaces (different numbers in different places), for a total of 45-47; the requirement by code is 143 spaces which is why they have also applied for a a variance
• Traffic Study - None. 
• Customer Draw - The store will attract customers from a wide area, from Hayward to Richmond, according to the Zoning Use Questionnaire.

A few weeks ago a local video reporter, Kevin Fixler, interviewed me for this piece on Berkeley Iceland's future. The interview and much of the video was done at the Oakland Ice Center during a Friday public session, which I think focuses on what needs to return to Berkeley. The piece tries to be balanced, but I think there are two key issues missing - the impact of Sports Basement on the neighborhood and discussion of the very real alternative that is on offer which would return the rink to the community.

Saving Iceland from Kevin Fixler on Vimeo.

The last half of the story focuses on Sports Basement's interest in the Berkeley Iceland building, but does not include any details on their plans, impacts the community, or the fact that at least one other offer has been made which includes a restored ice center.

Some will remember this picture from a December SF Chronicle article.  I commented on that article at the time, but looking back on it and recent events around Berkeley Iceland, I think the quote from Lesli Dalaba was the most important, and overlooked, part of the article: "Kids don't have anywhere to go anymore except the frickin' mall."  With all the fuss and time focused on the landmark and history of Berkeley Iceland, we sometimes lose focus on what Berkeley Iceland meant to the health of the community, particularly the kids.

For over 67 years, parents in Berkeley had a place where they could drop off their kids for an afternoon of healthy fun and not worry (too much) about them.  I know because I am one of those parents.  Four years ago that was lost when EBI closed Berkeley Iceland.  In a community lacking in recreation spaces, particularly year-round indoor spaces, the closing of Berkeley Iceland was a significant loss.  There is no place where 400 teenagers to go on a Friday or Saturday night to hang out together in a safe and healthy environment, which they did for over 60 years when the rink was open.  Gone are all the youth hockey, broom ball, figure skating, and other more organized pursuits that introduced the kids of the community to healthy sports which Berkeley Iceland provided.