Bend Park and Rec’s Pavilion continues to grow, is having its busiest season ever

Programs and ice time fill up fast, leads some to want another ice rink

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In its sixth winter season, the Bend Park and Recreation's Pavilion has seen more visitors than ever.

Between October and December there were 19,228 visits at The Pavilion, an increase of 5,000 from the prior season..

“To see that continue to grow is super-rewarding," Clare Gordon, The Pavilion's supervisor, told NewsChannel 21 Wednesday.

Gordon has been with The Pavilion since it opened and was recently promoted to the supervisor position. She has watched the facility's use and popularity grow every year.

“I love it," Gordon said. "I think it’s really cool to see people find passion in these sports."

The Pavilion offers a variety of curling, figure skating, hockey and public skating programs. The growth is welcome, but can also come with some issues, as Bend Park and Rec tries to fit every class onto the ice.

"I think there are a lot of people that agree Bend could use another rink," Gordon said. "I don't know what that would look like or how that would happen, but I think the continued growth is great." 

Jason Domitrovic, a youth hockey coach, could not agree more.

“Having a dedicated ice facility would be a no-brainer,” Domitrovic told NewsChannel 21.

According to Domitrovic, people who are serious about hockey must travel around the state for competition, and some kids that were raised in Bend go to high school in other states, just for the competitive hockey scene.

“A year-round ice rink is absolutely crucial," Domitrovic said. "Kids play hockey year-round. Now they play ice hockey in the wintertime and roller hockey (in the summer)."

Both the Bend and Redmond park districts have no current plans to add another ice rink.