Ice venues

Blyth Memorial Ice Arena

A centrepiece of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games, the 11,000-capacity Blyth Memorial Ice Arena was a much-used skating venue before being demolished as a result of snow damage.

Built in 1959 especially for the Games, the arena staged the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, most of the ice hockey matches and the figure skating events. Boasting an avant-garde design that earned it several architectural awards, it was open on one side, in line with the International Skating Union’s (ISU) regulations at the time.

In the years after the Games, it became a popular skating venue for locals and visitors, holding year-round events and staging youth ice hockey and broomball competitions. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, it had also become a training base for the United States’ leading figure skaters.

In 1982 the arena’s roof was insulated to reduce energy costs. This had the unintended effect, however, of preventing the snow that accumulated on the roof from melting. In March 1983 the build-up of snow caused the roof to collapse, causing over USD 1 million in damage. The arena was demolished later in the year and the site is now a car park serving the ski resort.

Olympic Speed Skating Oval and East Rink

Another temporary facility, the Olympic Speed Skating Oval hosted the speed skating events at the Olympic Winter Games 1960 and was dismantled after the Games.

Situated next to the Blyth Memorial Ice Arena, the Olympic Speed Skating Oval used artificial ice. In combination with the altitude of the resort – which is 1,890 metres above sea level – this contributed to some fast times, with three world records being set in the eight events. For the first time in Olympic history, four of the events were for women. The Oval was dismantled after the Games along with three ice-hockey rinks that had been built next to it. The entire site was replaced with a car park that is used by recreational skiers.