Rink of First Rank : Youth Group to Enjoy Disney Ice Along With Mighty Ducks, Public

Surrounded by youth hockey players scrambling around the ice, David Wilk shouted words of encouragement as he skated effortlessly, waving a hockey stick and smiling ear to ear.

“We’ve come to the promised land of hockey,” Wilk said later, catching his breath.

The youths, who come from some of Anaheim’s most troubled neighborhoods, were in the middle of practice last week at Disney Ice, the new, downtown community ice rink that will be unveiled during a dedication ceremony Wednesday.

The 90,000-square-foot rink, at Lincoln Avenue and Clementine Street, will serve as the home of Disney GOALS, a nonprofit youth program run by Wilk and based on a highly touted project that he headed in New York City’s Harlem. It will also be the regular practice facility and business headquarters for the National Hockey League’s Mighty Ducks, who will open their training camp at the rink on Monday.

Disney Ice, which will open to the public Oct. 1, was designed by renowned architect Frank O. Gehry and is shaping up to be a key architectural element in the city’s landscape.

The building has been drawing quite a bit of attention since construction began in October. Gehry’s unusual design includes many radical curves and angles, with an exterior of corrugated aluminum.

Gehry is known for his philosophy that buildings can be works of sculpture. But perhaps he went too far: In May, Disney was forced to submit to the city a redesign of the facade, eliminating a costly and complicated sign Gehry had designed.

The finished building includes a 29-foot-high glass facade with the rink’s logo visible through the glass. It also allows more of the building’s wooden base to be visible from the outside.

The structure is a dramatic contrast to the more traditional buildings and parking structures downtown.

“It’s the most unique rink that I’ve ever been in,” said Wilk, executive director of GOALS. “I think it’s a landmark building and is already becoming kind of a center point in the city.”

Disney Ice includes an Olympic-size figure-skating rink and a regulation NHL rink.

It was developed in cooperation with the city, which donated the land for the Disney-financed project. Disney officials have refused to disclose the cost, but city sources have estimated it at $10 million to $12 million.

The rink is seen as crucial in the city’s efforts to revitalize its ailing downtown area, which five years ago was mostly a collection of dusty, vacant lots.

The Ducks will use the facility only about 200 hours a year--leaving large blocks of time for public skating and youth hockey, ice skating and recreational programs.

“Anaheim can become to junior hockey what Mission Viejo has become to swimming,” said David Malmuth, a vice president of Disney Development Co. “It can become a Mecca. This is our attempt to create a facility that will become recognized locally for training, coaching and developing young athletes.”

Some of those athletes will be the products of GOALS (Growth Opportunities through Athletics, Learning and Service). The program gives the children access to equipment, coaching and education that they probably would not otherwise be exposed to.

“When the kids walked in here last week and saw their logo on the ice next to the Ducks, they couldn’t believe it,” Wilk said. “This isn’t just about creating hockey players, it’s about instilling self-esteem and getting into top-flight colleges. If they make it all the way to the NHL, then wonderful.”

Wilk and about 250 Anaheim youths ranging in age from 6 to 16 began using the facility last week after spending more than a year playing field hockey and roller hockey.

“It’s amazing to see the ice because this is what we’ve been waiting all year for,” said 14-year-old Cesar Gomez, a resident of the city’s Ponderosa Park neighborhood.

Some of the youngsters in the program say they dream of turning pro one day, but most are happy just to be on the ice.

“I never thought I’d do something like this,” said 14-year-old Kenneth Fierro. “I don’t have words to describe what it’s like. We’re welcome here and it’s built for us. We feel good.”

Added 16-year-old Les Gonzalez: “It’s a chance to shine.”

The ice has won raves not only from GOALS participants but from several Mighty Ducks players who have taken informal skates on it in recent weeks.

“They love the ice and they are the toughest critics,” said Liam Thorton, Disney Development manager for the rink project.

Earlier this year, Ducks players had complained that the skating surface at The Pond of Anaheim was not smooth and cut down on their speed. An adjustment to the ventilation system at the arena apparently corrected the problem.

Rather than using concrete as a base, the practice rinks consist of a thin layer of ice over a bed of sand, which Disney officials said makes for a smoother surface.

The team, which had been practicing at Glacial Garden Ice Arena in Anaheim, will also move its administrative offices from The Pond to the rink.

Tony Tavares, the Disney Sports Enterprise president who runs the hockey team, said the new facility will be more convenient for the team as it prepares for its third season in Anaheim.

“The ice quality is exceptional,” he said. “And the atmosphere is certainly less distracting. The practices can be more focused in a tighter, smaller rink with good acoustics.”

While the outside of the building has been complete for weeks, there has been a whirlwind of activity inside in preparation for Wednesday’s dedication. Thousands of skates are being laced and sharpened, the rink’s pro shop is being stocked with equipment and Mighty Ducks merchandise, and the finishing touches are being put on locker rooms and offices.

“September will be our month to shake out the bugs,” said Disney Development’s Malmuth. “The facility speaks for itself. It’s gorgeous and is going to create a great skating experience.”

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ICE Time

Disney ICE, Anaheim’s new skating and hockey venue, is set to open Oct. 1. Details on the facility:

* Location: 300 W. Lincoln Ave.

* Size: 90,000 square feet

* Hockey rink: NHL regulation 200 by 85 feet

* Skating rink: Olympic 200 by 100 feet

* Concept: Side-by-side hockey and skating rinks geared toward youth and family activities; will also serve as Mighty Ducks’ practice rink

* Accommodations: Party and meeting rooms, snack bar, locker rooms, 1,000-seat spectator bleachers, pro shop, hockey video and book library

* Hockey activities: Youth and adult hockey leagues, women’s leagues, pick-up games, broom ball, camps, clinics, coaching and parent education seminars

* Skating activities: Group and individualized instruction, choreography workshops, power skating instruction, public skating sessions and ice shows

Source: Walt Disney Co.; Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times