In doing so, Northshire Civic Center has raised the bar for Southern Vermont’ s athletic community. The decision to build the Olympic-sized rink— the only one in Southern Vermont— was bold, but intentional. Longtime Board Member Jim Hand elaborates:“ Most rinks are 190 by 85 feet. We said, if we’ re going to go through all the effort, let’ s do it right. This was never just about hockey— it was about building a public place for the community that could host all kinds of activities.”
Now, nearly three decades later, that vision has been fully realized. The facility is bustling throughout all four seasons, serving as home ice for the Burr & Burton Academy hockey teams and the Northshire Hockey Association, while also hosting adult leagues, learn-to-skate programs, turf sports, day camps, and more. From scholarship programs that ensure access for families in need, to a new capital campaign designed to secure the facility’ s long-term future, Riley Rink continues to grow thanks to a resilient community and leaders like Jim Hand who have never stopped showing up.“ I still play hockey,” Hand says with a grin.“ Not because I’ m any good— but because it’ s fun. And I’ m lucky enough to get from one end of the ice to the other.”
A Community’ s Dream
When Jim Hand reflects on the early days of Riley Rink, he doesn’ t dwell on the obstacles. Rather, he touts and celebrates the shared determination of Susan Sargent, the original visionary behind the rink and its fundraising efforts, and the small group of dedicated citizens who believed in something bigger than themselves.“ It took five years to raise the money, do the planning, and figure out what the building would look like,” adds Hand.“ We met regularly, over and over again. These were just regular people: Business owners, longtime locals, and leaders who believed in the value of a space like this.”
Early funding came from well-established local families and private donors, including a substantial gift from the Hunter family. Irene Hunter played a key role in introducing the project to her husband and their friends. Barbara Riley Levin and Gerald Levin made significant contributions, as well, later becoming the namesake for the rink alongside the Hunters. According to Hand, his own father was instrumental in bringing many other prominent Manchester families on board. Hand adds:“ He really helped bring people to the table.”
While initial plans called for a smaller covered rink, research and feedback from communities with successful facilities led the group to think bigger.“ Everyone advised us to go Olympic-sized,” Hand explains.“ If you’ re going to teach people how to skate and you want the rink to be viable for the long term, you have to build a high-quality facility.”
As the vision expanded, so did the costs. What began as a $ 1 million idea quickly grew to a $ 5 million undertaking, with additional land acquisitions, site work, zoning changes, and infrastructure planning. The Civic Center also received $ 20,000 in support from former Vermont Governor, Howard Dean, during the groundbreaking in 1996, and the remainder was backed by a bank loan and pledges from the local community.
“ It wasn’ t a one- or two-year effort. It took five years of keeping the dream alive,” Hand recalls.“ There were lulls where
fundraising would stall, and then we’ d get a spark that kept things moving. The hardest part was keeping the momentum.”
That momentum never waned. By 1997, Riley Rink opened its doors, immediately changing the landscape of local recreation.“ It filled a huge void,” Hand says.“ Back then, if you didn’ t ski, there wasn’ t much else to do in winter. This gave kids something to do. It gave families a place to gather. It gave Manchester an identity beyond just skiing.” And the vision has only continued to grow. As Hand explains,“ Now, we’ re a full-year kind of place. Available for kids, adults, locals, visitors— whoever wants to be part of it.”
Skating Into the Future
If the past three decades have been a testament to community vision and perseverance, the present and future of Riley Rink reflect a commitment to excellence, accessibility, and sustainability. Today, the winter months are a high point of the programming year, with the ice rink bustling from morning‘ til night. Youth hockey programs, including the Northshire Hockey Association, bring together players as young as four all the way through high school, while Burr & Burton Academy’ s varsity teams proudly call Riley Rink home. Learn-to-skate programs welcome newcomers of all ages, and no-cost introduc-
Longtime Board Member Jim Hand stands proudly in front of the Olympic ice rink
manchester manchester life magazine life holiday magazine / winter 2023 2025 63 63