Veterans Memorial Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., will remain closed for the 2026-27 season after tornado damage in April proved too extensive to reopen the facility this year.
According to WXYZ, the City of Ann Arbor announced earlier this week that the April tornado ripped a wall off the arena and caused damage throughout Veterans Memorial Park. This same storm caused damage to nearby Yost Ice Arena on the University of Michigan campus as well.
Related: Wind Storm Causes Significant Damage to Michigan’s Yost Ice Arena
“We understand how deeply this impacts the many renters, skaters, hockey players, families and community members who rely on Veterans Memorial Ice Arena each year,” said Josh Landefeld, Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation manager in a press release. “This facility has been an important gathering place for generations, and we recognize the disappointment and disruption this closure creates for our community.”
Photos of the damaged arena show a completely destroyed side wall of the building, revealing bleachers and scoreboards inside. The interior of the building is now fully exposed to the elements, and while city officials constructed a wall or fence to keep people away from the damage, debris is still present.
City officials have not released a timeline for Veterans' Memorial Ice Arena renovations, but the surrounding park will open for public use later in May, including the playground, some ballfields and the skatepark.
Even prior to the April storm, the ice arena had ended its 2025-26 season early due to mechanical issues that also impacted the next-door swimming pool.
