imported>Lollipoplollipoplollipop: Adding short description: "Ice hockey rink in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania"

2025-05-12T09:36:16Z

Adding short description: "Ice hockey rink in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania"

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{{Short description|Ice hockey rink in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = BladeRunners Ice Complex
| nickname =
| image =BladeRunners Ice Complex logo.png
| image_size =250px
| fullname =
| location =[[Bethel Park, Pennsylvania]]
| coordinates =
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| owner =Kratsa Properties<ref>{{cite news | last =Sciullo | first =Maria | title =Zoning puts chill on ice rink land in Bethel Park | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| date =March 16, 2012 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/zoning-puts-chill-on-ice-rink-land-in-bethel-park-405954/ | accessdate =August 3, 2012 }}</ref>
| operator =
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}}
The '''BladeRunners Ice Complex''' was a group of [[ice hockey]] rinks and sports facilities which were located in [[Western Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite news| title =Where to go ... BladeRunners Ice Complex | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| date =July 3, 2012 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sectionfront/life/where-to-go-bladerunners-ice-complex-231347/ | accessdate = August 3, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
BladeRunners' first location opened in [[Harmarville, Pennsylvania]] in 1992; it was the first twin-ice facility in the [[Pittsburgh]] region.<ref name=history>{{cite web | title =History | work =BladeRunners Ice Complex | publisher = | date = | url =http://www.bladerunnersice.com/history.asp | accessdate =August 3, 2012 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120626011522/http://www.bladerunnersice.com/history.asp | archive-date =June 26, 2012 | url-status =dead }}</ref> Two other locations opened in [[Warrendale, Pennsylvania]] in 1994 and in [[Bethel Park, Pennsylvania]] in 1995.<ref name=history /> The Harmarville location gained a third rink in 2003.<ref name=history />

BladeRunners hosted the 2005 [[American Collegiate Hockey Association]] Division III Men's National Hockey Championships and the USA in-line Girl's 16 and under national team.<ref name=history /> It was the home ice for several collegiate hockey programs, including [[Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania|Slippery Rock University]], [[California Vulcans|California University of Pennsylvania]], and [[Pittsburgh Panthers]].<ref>{{cite web| title =Links| work =BladeRunners Ice Complex| publisher =| date =| url =http://www.bladerunnersice.com/links.asp| accessdate =August 3, 2012| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120626011929/http://www.bladerunnersice.com/links.asp| archive-date =June 26, 2012| url-status =dead}}</ref>

In 2012, the owners considered selling the Warrendale facility to the Grace Community Church.<ref>{{cite news| last =Kissel| first =Jennifer | title =Youth hockey may be out in cold if Marshall rink is sold| newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| date =March 15, 2012 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-north/youth-hockey-may-be-out-in-cold-if-marshall-rink-is-sold-347844| accessdate =August 3, 2012 }}/</ref><ref>{{cite news | last =Conway | first =Rachael | title =Church bid to use ice skating facility rejected in Marshall | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] | date =March 15, 2012 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-north/church-bid-to-use-ice-skating-facility-rejected-in-marshall-352365/ | accessdate = August 3, 2012}}</ref> However, the sale did not proceed and nearly all tenants returned.<ref>{{cite news | last =Conway | first =Rachael | title =Skating rink to remain; former tenants to return | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]| date =July 3, 2012 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-north/skating-rink-to-remain-former-tenants-to-return-236137/ | accessdate =August 3, 2012 }}</ref>

In 2015, all of BladeRunners' locations were sold: the Warrendale rink became Baierl Ice Complex, the Harmarville location became Alpha Ice Complex, and Bethel Park location underwent a conversion to a [[YMCA]].

==Leagues==
Bladerunners Ice Complex hosted a variety of [[ice hockey]] leagues, from junior age to college.
*[[Pennsylvania high school hockey|PIHL]] (Pennsylvania high school league)
*[[American Collegiate Hockey Association]] – [[College Hockey Mid-America]]
*North Pittsburgh Hockey League
*Various inline and ice hockey adult leagues

==Other activities==
Select Bladerunners Ice Complexes offered on-ice [[bumper cars]]. Figure skating, sticktimes, pickup hockey, learn to skate, learn to play hockey, and various other activities were also offered.

==Tenants==
Several teams called their local Bladerunners their home rink:
* [[Bethel Park High School]]
* [[Shaler Area High School]]
* [[Mars Area High School]]
* [[North Allegheny High School]]
* [[Fox Chapel High School]]
* [[Seneca Valley High School]]
* [[University of Pittsburgh]]
* [[California University of Pennsylvania]]
* [[Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania]]
* [[South Allegheny School District]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120815064149/http://www.bladerunnersice.com/ Bladerunners Ice Complex]
{{CHMA}}
{{Pittsburgh}}
{{coord|40.539557|-79.834533|display=t|type:landmark}}

[[Category:Sports venues in Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:College ice hockey venues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1992 establishments in Pennsylvania]]

BladeRunners Ice Complex - Revision history

imported>Lollipoplollipoplollipop: Adding short description: "Ice hockey rink in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania"