• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Camp
  • Kids
  • Events
  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Natick Report
  • COVID-19
  • Letters to the Editor
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Boston Sports Institute, Wellesley

A kid’s take on the Wellesley Sports Center: Logos, locker rooms, Zambonis & more

November 15, 2018 by admin 4 Comments

wellesley sports center aerial
Wellesley Sports Center in progress

 

The team behind the Wellesley Sports Center, a facility that has been rising on Rte. 9 east since ground was broken about a year ago, hopes the center will be operating by late winter/early spring. The team wanted to have the ice rinks available by year end, but cites National Grid’s work stoppage for derailing that plan. Still, the rinks, pools, fitness center and playing field are coming, and that has 12-year-old Wellesley newcomer Brody Sharpe excited.

Here’s a write-up on the Center by Brody, a Wellesley Middle School 6th grader who reached out to Sports Center officials to answer his questions:

Brody Hockey WellesleyFirst a little about me. I moved to Wellesley from California about a year ago, and jumped right into the Wellesley hockey scene. I had a great first year practicing and playing with my peewee team, and came to appreciate the many differences between MA hockey and CA hockey (northern CA at least).

You see, if you live in northern California, and hockey is your passion, it isn’t easy to find ice. We played in downtown San Francisco, a short distance but a hard drive for a 6PM practice. When my dad told me that our new town is going to have 2 new sheets of ice, I couldn’t believe how lucky I got.

When we moved to Wellesley my parents would point at an empty lot and say “that’s where the rinks are going to be.” Now when I drive down Route 9 and see the buildings going up, I can’t help but wonder what is going on inside. What are those buildings going to be? When will I be able to play there? Where will we hang that Lake Placid banner we won last year? Will I be able to do any off-ice training there? And most importantly, will I be able to get a hot dog when I go watch the high school teams play?

Well I decided to see what I could find out about the new Wellesley Sports Complex, but from my perspective. I hear parents talking about it, but what does this new building mean to me, a Wellesley kid who will actually be using it? Through our hockey director, Jared Parker, I was able to send some questions to the builders, and I got back some answers that I think you’ll appreciate.

This is the layout of the Wellesley Sports Complex.

Wellesley Sports Center layout

This is what the Wellesley Sports Complex will look like from Route 9.

Wellesley Sports Center

Here’s my Q&A

I hope it answers some of your questions too:

 

Will the Wellesley logo be at center ice right on the first day of skating? For both sheets of ice?

The final ice logo layout has not been finalized, but all logos will be installed prior to the first skate

My take: That’s great, seeing your town’s logo on the center of the ice creates pride.

How many locker rooms will there be?

6 locker rooms per sheet

My take: That’s more than enough for every team, that’s great. See the blueprint to see where they are located.

What size will the locker rooms be?

Day locker rooms average between 475 – 500SF

My take: That’s humungous! I measured the locker rooms at Babson and they are 220 square feet – we’re more than double the size!

Are there home and away locker rooms and are there special locker rooms for Wellesley teams?

Locker rooms will be assigned to home and away with certain rooms reserved for WHS at their choosing.

Where will all the Wellesley youth hockey championship banners be hung, and will there be a trophy case for Wellesley teams?

On the West Rink end wall

My take: Now everyone can see how great the Wellesley teams are! My teammates and I look forward to adding to the trophy case many times.

Will the girl’s and boy’s high school teams have enough seats for everybody? Is there more or less seating than at Babson?

The West Rink is sized for roughly 700 spectators plus standing room rinkside

Is there 1 or 2 Zambonis? Will they be electric or diesel? Can kids from the high school WHS with their license drive the Zambonis?

2 Electric Zambonis, and yes, workers at HS age can drive

My take: When I’m at WHS I am going to drive the Zamboni myself.

Will Wellesley hockey teams be able to work out in the fitness center?

The expectation is that the WHS / WYH will utilize the fitness center.

My take: Another advantage our Wellesley teams will have over other teams.

Will the pool be public?

Pool will be privately run with public times for lesson, open and recreational swim

My take: Perfect day would be both hockey and swimming.

Will the lax, soccer, baseball and other Wellesley sports be able to use the turf field?

Turf is predominately Wellesley soccer, lacrosse and eld hockey to date

My take: Now I can play lacrosse on the field too.

Will I be able to get a hot dog, popcorn, and other food after my games?

Yes, our concessions partner will offer typical ‘rink’ food, plus more healthy alternatives

My take: I will be able to sit down on the stands with my hotdog and Gatorade to watch the high school teams play hockey.

Will every single Wellesley hockey team play there?

That is the expectation, but we do not schedule the WYH games or practices

My take: I hope WYH is busy scheduling our practices and games.

Will there be public skating and birthday parties?

Yes, we will have teen skates, family skates, and birthday party opportunities

My take: Now I can take my friends and we can all skate together on the ice.

Can I get my skates sharpened, a stick, and other equipment at the new sports complex?

Absolutely, our pro-shop will have sharpening and equipment sales

My take: That is awesome, now all I need to do is talk my parents into buying me a new stick at the rink!

In conclusion, the rinks, turf field, and pool sound great. I will use the turf field for lacrosse mostly, maybe some football practices, and I will use the rinks for, of course, hockey! Finally, I will use the swimming pool for recreational swimming. Now when I drive by, I know what is going on in there, but I’m still waiting for these builders to hurry up and finish. I hope you are as happy as I am with the opening of the rinks, pool, and turf field coming soon.

print
Share

Filed Under: Business, Kids, Sports

Comments

  1. Sean Campbell says

    November 18, 2018 at 7:10 pm

    Nice work Brody!! You write like an all star!

    Reply
  2. Mar Kel says

    November 15, 2018 at 4:51 pm

    Will there be pick up ice hockey? Or must you be in an official WHS league to play?

    Reply
  3. Sean Lynch says

    November 15, 2018 at 4:05 pm

    BRODY! My man! Love the Q&A… and love the fact they are going to hang our banner! Great job all around.

    Reply
  4. Mrs. Dwyer says

    November 15, 2018 at 2:27 pm

    Loved reading your take, Brody. Thanks for keeping us informed!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Write Ahead

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to [email protected]
Wellesley Square ad
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Fay School, Southborough
Wellesley Theatre Project
Admit Fit, Wellesley
image of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click here to read our Natick Report

Natick Report

Events Calendar

« January 2021 » loading...
S M T W T F S
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tue 26

Rum tasting and history talk

January 26 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Wed 27

Online history lecture: Petticoat Whalers

January 27 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Most Read Posts

  • Wellesley Police arrest 3 juveniles following Crest Road-area car break-ins
  • Wellesley Business Buzz: Babson might want to study us; Downtown Starbucks temporarily closed; Sisters of Charity partners
  • Natick issues boil water alert due to E. coli, some Wellesley homes affected
  • 10 takeaways from the Town of Wellesley's FY20 annual report
  • Nearly half of Wellesley's available restaurant alcohol licenses are gathering dust

Pages

  • Wellesley coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads
  • Wellesley, Mass., fishing spots
  • Please support our advertisers—they support us
  • Embracing diversity in Wellesley
  • Wellesley, MA Police logs
  • Wellesley Choral Society
  • Wellesley College Notable Alumnae
  • Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass.
  • Wellesley outdoor art gallery
  • Wellesley restaurants offering take-out and delivery
  • Wellesley, Massachusetts restaurant — Amarin of Thailand

Recent Comments

  • Dennis Noonan on Nearly half of Wellesley’s available restaurant alcohol licenses are gathering dust
  • Kim Powell on Bench at baseball field honors Wellesley’s Harry Clark
  • David Henry on Wellesley electrical boxes coming alive
  • Bob Brown on 10 takeaways from the Town of Wellesley’s FY20 annual report
  • S Hawkinson on 10 takeaways from the Town of Wellesley’s FY20 annual report

Links we like

  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Taquitos.net
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (4)
  • Animals (377)
  • Antiques (48)
  • Art (534)
  • Beyond Wellesley (28)
  • Books (342)
  • Business (1,356)
  • Camp (1)
  • Careers/jobs (44)
  • Churches (72)
  • Clubs (207)
  • Construction (280)
  • Dump (113)
  • Education (2,877)
    • Babson College (239)
    • Bates Elementary School (14)
    • Dana Hall School (29)
    • Fiske Elementary School (6)
    • Hardy Elementary School (33)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (34)
    • MassBay (47)
    • Schofield Elementary School (20)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (1)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (9)
    • Upham Elementary School (30)
    • Wellesley College (598)
    • Wellesley High School (883)
    • Wellesley Middle School (195)
  • Embracing diversity (37)
  • Entertainment (721)
  • Environment (664)
  • Fashion (133)
  • Finance (12)
  • Fire (141)
  • Food (327)
  • Fundraising (559)
  • Gardens (136)
  • Government (383)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
  • Health (736)
    • COVID-19 (133)
  • History (358)
  • Holidays (365)
  • Houses (118)
  • Humor (45)
  • Kids (814)
  • Law (3)
  • Letters to the Editor (5)
  • Media (63)
  • METCO (5)
  • Military (3)
  • Morses Pond (96)
  • Music (543)
  • Natick Report (27)
  • Neighbors (242)
  • Obituaries (58)
  • Outdoors (582)
  • Parenting (60)
  • Police (687)
    • Crime (344)
  • Politics (534)
  • Real estate (286)
  • Religion (127)
  • Restaurants (302)
  • Safety (142)
  • Scouts (1)
  • Senior citizens (107)
  • Shopping (121)
  • Sports (897)
  • STEM (104)
  • Technology (154)
  • Theatre (383)
  • Town Meeting (22)
  • Transportation (209)
  • Travel (11)
  • Uncategorized (1,205)
  • Volunteering (317)
  • Weather (161)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (258)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (5)
RSS Feed Icon Subscribe to RSS Feed

© 2021 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login