Rink at Codey Arena to Undergo Major Improvements

One of the ice rinks at Essex County's Codey Arena will be getting a long overdue upgrade, county officials announced Monday.

A new refrigeration system and playing surface will be installed in rink two to improve the arena's overall efficiency and provide a better skating surface for patrons, officials said.

The more than $2 million project will be paid for by county's capital budget, according to Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. He said a $2 million construction contract was awarded to Colonnelli Brothers of Hackensack for construction and Becht Engineering of Liberty Corner received a $130,000 for the design.

Officials said construction, projected to be complete by fall, will cause some inconveniences to the public.

"(The construction) will guarantee safe and modern playing conditions for our visitors and ensure the arena continues to be a destination for special events. There will be some inconvenience and we appreciate the public’s patience during construction," DiVincenzo said in a release.

He said all the groups that utilize the arena are accommodating their schedules and that public skating sessions for the most part will remain unaffected. 

The improvements, DiVincenzo added, are the first to grace the actual rink since its inception in 1983.

The arena first opened in 1958; a second rink was added in 1983. The entire arena underwent vast improvements in 2005 during an $11 million renovation project that included a new entranceway, a 10,000 square foot addition, party rooms and food concessions.

"We are proud and honored to call Essex County Codey Arena our own. We have been here for years and we look forward the renovations and many more years here at the Arena," Sally Saul of the Essex Skating Club said in a statement.

The arena houses several groups, including the New Jersey Devils Youth Hockey Club, the New Jersey Daredevils Hockey Club, Special Olympic Skaters, The Essex Skating Club of New Jersey, Essex County High School Hockey Teams, New Jersey Interscholastic High School League Cup Playoffs, New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Championship Playoffs, adult hockey clubs and other groups.