On Dec. 22, Indy Parks announced that Perry Parks ice rink was to be shut down due to an ongoing mechanical failure under the ice. A busted pipe has led to the inability of the ice to harden, leaving behind a giant puddle rather than an ice rink. The rink could be closed until  fall of this year, affecting local youth hockey club Southside Stars.

Southside Stars consists mainly of players from high schools on the Southside of Indianapolis such as Roncalli, Center Grove Perry Park is the only rink on the Southside, thus the closure has forced the Southside club on an exodus 56 miles away from their home ice. While the renovations are ongoing the club has been forced to play at the Hamilton Ice Arena in Columbus.

Juniors Matthew Tellas and Layne DeHart both play for the Southside Stars and have both been confronted with the problematic exodus.

“It really sucks,” said DeHart “I would use to have to leave my house only like a half hour before practice starts, now I have to leave a full hour and half (or a) hour and forty-five minutes before practice. You don’t get home till late it’s so inconvenient.”

Since the closure of the Perry Park ice rink, the team’s performance has taken a hit, causing them to snap their win streak.

“We were rolling before, now we have flatlined,” Tellas said. “It has completed killed our momentum.”