"Profound disappointment" at ice sports facility project cancellation
7 September 2026
Canberra's ice sports community expressed its profound disappointment today at news the planned new twin-sheet arena in Tuggeranong would not proceed. However the decade-long project, to which members of the ACT Ice Sports Federation have so strongly committed, will not end.
"While deeply disappointed the ACT Government and the delivery partners Pelligra Group and Cruachan Investments were unable to reach agreement, we will continue to work constructively with the Sport Minister Chris Steel, with his bureaucrats at ACT Sport and Recreation, and with other potential partners to develop a proposal for a new ice rink," federation spokesman Sandi Logan sad today.
"We've worked this long to get so very close to our objective and we are not going to be silenced -- or sullen -- about this not unexpected development.
"Probity and governance are crucial to major infrastructure projects, especially where it's taxpayers' money that's involved, and we're not surprised this has been one of the major obstacles in the way of getting a contract signed.
"Let's face it: Cruachan Investments acted as the spotter for Pelligra Group to lodge a bid for the new ice rink when it was put to tender in 2019-20, but Cruachan has never delivered a new project although it had grand plans in the past for two or three new ice rinks in Adelaide, none of which eventuated.
"But beggars cannot be choosey and though we were surprised, we welcomed Cruachan's progressive approach to expanding the original Tuggeranong concept from a 1200-seat facility to a 3000-capacity arena.
"Now it's back to basics: ensure the Phillip Ice Rink continues to operate and improve its participants' and spectators' experience, and to the extent Geocon as the lessees have the capacity to maintain their excellent management of what is an ageing facility, we will support them 100 per cent in their operation.
"We will also have discussions with the new Sports Minister about a way forward and the options available to us, because while the elite level of some ice sports in the nation's capital is catered for through, in the case of ice hockey, the Canberra Brave, the wider community of figure skating, ice dance, broomball, junior, senior and recreational ice hockey, and the new sport of curling about to start, still need a modern, safe and family friendly arena in order to grow and aspire to national and international standards.
"We're pleased to see the Tuggeranong sports community will still benefit from the funding which had been earmarked for the new ice rink, but we will hold the minister and Chief Minister to their original commitment to help fund the design and construction of a new ice rink in Canberra," Logan added.