Construction Begins on Van Nuys Ice Rink

The Iceoplex, a state-of-the-art ice rink in Van Nuys, is expected to be completed by the middle of November, according to Brad Berman, president of the California Senior Hockey League.

Construction began Wednesday to convert a lighting warehouse into The Iceoplex.

The 35,000 square-foot building will include a regulation-sized National Hockey League rink measuring 85 x 200 feet, four locker rooms with showers, business offices, meeting rooms, a sports shop and a snack bar.

The building’s renovation is expected to cost $1.5 million and take 60 to 90 days to complete.

“We’ve been thinking about doing this for the past four years,” Berman said. “The league has expanded so much, and the Los Angeles area has lost so many rinks in recent years, that we need another rink in the area.”

Berman, 32, was a member of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1980-91. He helped found the two-team, 30-player California Senior Hockey League in 1982.

The league now consists of 700 players and 70 teams at various skill levels.

Hockey will not be the only sport played at The Iceoplex.

A skating school will operate at the facility with developmental classes being taught in figure skating and speed skating, as well as hockey.

The Valley Rangers will open play Friday in the Grand Forks International baseball tournament in Grand Forks, British Columbia, the team’s final action.

The Rangers, who won the Orange County Baseball Assn. tournament last weekend in Anaheim, are one of 12 teams from four countries represented.

Teams from the United States, Taiwan, Japan and Canada are entered in the invitational, which concludes Monday.

The Rangers are led by second baseman Joey Arnold, a Reseda High graduate who has reached base 24 times in his past 30 plate appearances. Left fielder J.P. Des Enfants, another Reseda graduate, has 21 hits in his past nine games.

The Rangers open Friday against the O’Shea Slammers of Long Island, N.Y.

Art Kahn, an outfielder-third baseman from Oak Park High, recently completed play in the Barrier Reef tournament in Australia. Kahn, playing for an American team that finished first, batted .458 in the nine-game tournament.