Westport Weston Family YMCA Unveils Plans for Red Barn Ice Arena

WESTPORT, CT — The Westport Weston Family YMCA today announced plans for the Red Barn Ice Arena, a year-round ice rink facility to be built on the site of the former Red Barn restaurant on Route 33 in Westport. The community-driven initiative will bring Westport a permanent indoor ice rink, offering public skating, learn-to-skate programs, figure skating, youth and high school hockey, adult leagues, and specialty summer camps.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this project,” said Glen Hale, CEO of the Westport Weston Family YMCA. “This facility will serve the entire town, from a child stepping on the ice for the first time to families enjoying a Friday night skate, to our high school teams finally having a home rink. We are grateful to the community members who have helped champion this project and to the many supporters who will help bring it to life.”

The YMCA acquired the shuttered Red Barn Restaurant in 2015. Through member surveys and the input of a passionate community group it became clear that an ice arena would be a meaningful community asset and fill a longstanding need in town.

“Westport is an amazing place that offers so much, but the one thing that’s always been missing since I grew up here, has been a year-round ice rink for everyone to enjoy,” said Russell Sherman, one of the community members serving on the project steering committee. “The Red Barn restaurant was a place where Westport came together for decades. Now it will be again, and we are excited to create amazing memories on the same site for generations to come.”

The facility will feature an NHL-regulation-size ice rink, spectator seating, locker rooms, a welcome lobby and other amenities. The design will pay homage to the original Red Barn restaurant through architectural elements, the color palette, and preserved memorabilia including the iconic Red Barn sign.

In keeping with the YMCA’s mission, the facility is intended to provide accessible recreational opportunities for individuals and families of all backgrounds and experience levels.

“My family has had the privilege of being involved in the Y since its inception in 1923,” said John McKinney, a former hockey dad, Chairman of the Y’s Board of Trustees and a 5th Generation Member of the Bedford Family that founded the Westport YMCA. “I know they would be as excited as I am that we are building something that fits so well with our mission and will have such a positive impact on the community.”

The project will be funded through a partnership between the Y and philanthropic support from community members and partners through a forthcoming capital campaign. The Y has engaged Cumming Group as the project management firm overseeing the development. The facility is projected to be financially self-sustaining once operational.

“We started this because we believed Westport deserved a rink,” added Tommy Stanford, who is also part of the community group that is helping lead the project. “The Y believed it too and they have been terrific partners. And now, with the support of the community, we’re looking forward to making it happen.”

The facility will also be designed with versatility in mind, including a concrete floor that can serve additional recreational purposes during periods when the ice is not in use.

“The Y has set a high standard for all the programs it runs, and this will be no different,” said Juliane Sunderland, President of the YMCA Board of Directors. “We are excited to add this facility to the Y’s offerings and to serve even more families in Westport and the surrounding communities.”

It is anticipated the new YMCA Ice Arena rink will have a positive complementary impact on the picturesque outdoor rink at Longshore, which operates 3 months of the year, by introducing more people to the joy of skating.

For project updates, renderings, and opportunities to stay informed, visit RedBarnIceArena.com.