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The Dallas Stars and PSA have agreed to permanently convert the ice rink to meet increased demands for the other sports, a change that will happen very quickly. Sunday will be the last day for public skating at the PSA StarCenter, and indoor soccer and football games are expected to begin on the first of June.
Because PSA is a nonprofit agency that leases land from the city, the Plano City Council had to approve any changes to the lease agreement beforehand. After a presentation from PSA officer Bill Wadley, the council agreed the program should move ahead with changes and Mayor Phil Dyer said they would look forward to seeing the completed arena.
Ronnie Baker / Staff Photo - Katie Nay skates at one of her last practices at the Plano StarCenter rink before it closes next week.
"We are a very, very healthy organization," Wadley said. "Our problem is growth, and that's good."
Wadley, who has been with PSA for 37 years, explained that their indoor soccer program has grown by about 60 percent in the last couple of years. The program has helped accommodate the growth by adding additional game times in its full-size indoor arena and at a temporary arena, but it means many recreational adult games are playing soccer until midnight during the week, and youth games start as early as 7 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on Sundays.
"Our goal is to accommodate every kid who walks in the door," Wadley said, but "our soccer program is so big they don't get a game every week."
The indoor flag football program has grown about 30 percent in the last two years. Senior sports director Teresa Federspiel said PSA has been talking with officials from Plano ISD about expanding the program to include more youth.
"There are a lot of kids who want to play football but aren't on the starting team," she said. "We want to offer those kids who want to play at that age and have fun a place for the recreational player."
Ed Reusch, vice president of the StarCenter Division, said the changes will be bittersweet.
"We have mixed emotions about it, because we built our client base and it was very convenient for most of our customers," he said. "It's not something that the Stars were seeking out to shut down, but we do feel fortunate that we do have these other three first-class facilities close by and of equal quality. The Stars have invested a lot of money in developing ice rinks around North Dallas."
The Stars are helping ease the transition to the Dr Pepper StarCenters in Frisco, McKinney and Plano by offering discounts at the other facilities and honoring previously purchased passes for open hockey, public skating and freestyle at the other rinks. The nearby rinks are all within a 10-mile radius or less. All of the skating instructors and other Stars employees at PSA were offered positions elsewhere and will not have to lose their jobs.
"We just want people to realize it's not going to be a bad drive," Reusch said. "I'm very confident there is a place for all of our skaters from PSA to go. I know that the programs are going to be the same quality."
Starting next week, PSA will begin to melt the ice at the rink and install air conditioning in the space that used to be cooled by the ice. Wadley said they will remove the walls that were put up to contain the cold air and open up the facility on the second floor where a balcony with bleachers will overlook the current basketball arena on one side and the new soccer arena on the other.
"Structurally, we're not changing the facility at all at this point," he said.
The Stars have also agreed to donate carpet and pads for the batter boards for use during indoor football. The supplies were used in only eight games when they attempted to start an indoor football league in Frisco several years ago and they have been in storage since then.
The signage at the Plano StarCenter will also change to become the PSA 1 Center, but some skaters will still reminisce about their favorite past time on that ice.
"For most of us this is our home rink, and now we have to move," said McKenzie Brouk, a 12-year-old ice skater. "It's just sad."
Brouk and her friend, 10-year-old Katie Nay, enjoyed some of their final skating practices for the 2011 ISI Conference Championships at the PSA StarCenter this week. Katie's mother, Jill, said the rink was the most centrally located in the area.
"When the moms all pick new rinks, they may not all be together," she said. "The girls said they feel like it's taking away their second home."
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