Monsters give back with Learning & Rec Center at Cleveland's Halloran Park
Feb 18, 2021The Cleveland Monsters are proud to announce the dedication and unveiling of the new Monsters Learning and Recreation Center at the Halloran Park Skating Rink in Cleveland on Thursday. The investment into Cleveland’s only public rink is also a reflection of the deep partnership the Monsters' team and fans have shared in bringing this special project to life.
This ‘Monster Makeover’ renovates what was previously a storage space into a new and inviting room that will serve as a resource for the community surrounding Halloran Park, located on Cleveland’s West Side. The multi-use facility will host after-school programming, learning assistance resources, and recreational activities. Students will be able to utilize the technology provided, along with four dedicated work stations, to complete homework or remote learning assignments, while the Monsters hope that the video game consoles and custom bubble hockey machine give children additional entry points into the sport of hockey.
“The Monsters franchise has always been defined by our support of the community, and the support the community has shown to our team in return,” said Monsters President Mike Ostrowski. “We are thrilled to be able to show this support for our friends at Halloran Park, a fixture of the Cleveland hockey community.”
Designed to reflect the look and feel of the Monsters’ home ice, this new addition to Halloran Park is emblematic of the longstanding partnership between the Cleveland Monsters and the only ice rink publicly owned and operated by the City of Cleveland. The Monsters have been longtime supporters of Halloran Park and its programs, and have provided financial support for upgrades and repairs multiple times over the last decade.
As the Monsters and Halloran Park engaged in conversations about how to increase access and participation related to hockey programs in the city, the opportunity to partner on this exciting project came to fruition over the course of almost a year. The Monsters and Halloran Park hope that this new space will give many children a reason to take advantage of the skating facility, regardless of prior exposure to skating or hockey.
Highlights of the Monsters Halloran Park Learning & Recreation Center include:
- Four Laptops available for checkout for schoolwork
- Custom Super Chexx Bubble Hockey machine
- 60” high definition TV
- PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gaming consoles
- Bench made entirely of game-used Monsters hockey sticks
- 8-foot electric scoreboard clock
- Two framed Monsters jerseys
“This room addresses many needs,” said Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley. “It is a place for friends and family to come together... but it is also equipped with technology that are going to assist kids with after school activities and things our kids need in order to succeed. I am just absolutely honored to be a part of this and grateful to the Monsters for their investments in our kids and in our families.”
Halloran Park is a public facility owned and operated by the City of Cleveland. Halloran Park is open year-round and provides a variety of seasonal programming and organized sports activities, including free hockey programming for Cleveland residents. The facility includes an ice rink, outdoor pool, and a playground. The Halloran Park Skating Rink was opened in December 1959 and is the only public skating rink in the City of Cleveland.
To view Thursday’s press conference in its entirety, click here.
To view a photo gallery of the project at every phase, click here.
Halloran Park is located at 3550 West 117th Street in Cleveland and is now open for select winter programming. For more details, including hours of operation and current offerings, call (216) 664-4187.