ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — After sustaining tornado damage last month, the Veterans Memorial Ice Arena will not reopen in time for the 2026-27 skating season, the City of Ann Arbor announced earlier this week.
The EF-1 tornado ripped a wall off of the arena, causing other damage to the facility and throughout Veterans Memorial Park. A temporary wall was put up for safety, but officials estimate that the arena can't be restored to a usable state in time for skating season.
That tornado was one of two tornados that touched down in Southeast Michigan last month, the National Weather Service confirmed.
Watch our previous storm coverage
“We understand how deeply this impacts the many renters, skaters, hockey players, families and community members who rely on Veterans Memorial Ice Arena each year,” said Josh Landefeld, Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation manager in a press release. “This facility has been an important gathering place for generations, and we recognize the disappointment and disruption this closure creates for our community.”
The Arena ended its 2025-26 season early because of a mechanical issue, as the swimming pool next to the rink is also in need of repair. The city is working to reopen that pool, but it will not be ready in time for Memorial Day weekend. Swim lesson reservations are not being accepted at this time.
No timeline has been provided to the media to officials as to when the arena will be back open for skating. The park remains closed as storm recovery efforts continue. Some areas of the park are set to reopen by Friday, May 15, including the playground, pop-up dog park, skatepark, and ballfields #3 and #5.
You can learn more about the updates to the arena and park at this link or on the City of Ann Arbor's social media channels.
