Disney, City Plan Ice Rink for Youth, Mighty Ducks

The Walt Disney Co. and city officials said Thursday they are working on a joint venture to build an ice rink that would be used as a practice facility for the Mighty Ducks and a community youth center.

“Disney’s proposal is very exciting,” City Manager James D. Ruth said. “Not only will it accommodate the Ducks, it will be used to attract, train and educate our young people about the game of hockey.”

Ruth said plans for the rink are in the early stages, but he expects them to be formalized soon. He said under Disney’s proposal, the city would provide the land and Disney would build the facility.

A specific site has not yet been chosen, and costs aren’t known, but Ruth said it will probably be built in downtown Anaheim.

Kenneth P. Wong, senior vice president of the Disney Development Co., confirmed that the company is looking into the venture with the city, but declined to elaborate on the details of the project.

“It’s an idea that we’ve been discussing for some time,” Wong said. “It will involve youth, the community and hockey.”

Ruth said Disney is also thinking about creating a hockey program aimed at troubled youth to steer them away from gangs and drugs and into organized sports.

According to Ruth, the facility would probably be used more by the community than the Ducks.

“The Ducks will probably be in there only a couple hundred hours a year,” he said.

The Ducks now practice at the Glacial Garden Ice Arena in Anaheim.