New tenant considering moving into ice rink

Fans of the former Culver City Ice Arena hoping for the rink to reopen for skating could soon have their hopes dashed in the form of a potential new tenant. Harbor Freight Tools, a discount tool and equipment retailer based in Calabasas, is in negotiations to move into the space where the popular ice rink entertained skaters and families for five decades.

“Harbor Freight is attempting to open a new store there and is going through the planning process,” City Manager John Nachbar confirmed late last month.

The City Council declared the building that houses the famed ex-skating rink a “significant city cultural resource” in July but city leaders made it clear that the designation would not guarantee that skating would return to the ice arena.

“Ice skating will not be returning to its former site. If the use of the property as an ice rink is not going to happen, the property owner and potential tenant will need to determine what use they want to put the property to,” said Councilman Andrew Weissman.

Last year, a deal with the owner of the rink and Planet Granite, a Northern California– based rock climbing and fitness gym fell through. The ice arena closed last February after its owner, Fresno attorney Michael Karagozian chose not to renew the lease of the Takahashi family, who own a skating school. An inspection of the rink later found the presence of anhydrous ammonia in the skating rink’s refrigeration system. Last year, a deal between Karagozian and Planet Granite, a Northern California–based rock climbing and fitness gym fell through after Planet Granite’s environmental consultant questioned the cooling system’s functionality.

The Center for Disease and Control describes anhydrous ammonia as a “colorless, highly irritating gas with a sharp, suffocating odor.” Karagozian decommissioned the rink last March under the supervision of the Culver City Fire Department. Gary Walker contributed to this story.