Report - Hastings Underground Ice Rink 17/12/07

[monk]

Visited with jackal this has been a very long time coming, not sure when it closed, but i can remember me and twisted going skating here when we first met.. which was well over 10 years ago and it closed shortly after that.

Access hurts left with bumps brusies and burns but it was worth it as we been waiting ages to get this done.

There was no mucking about with arty shots im afraid, it was a case of in point shot out.

The rink

Up top

The DJ box

Viewing and walkway above the rink.

Yeah the pictures are wonky but so was the floor

Underground the tunnels seemed to go on for ages i didnt walk all the way as there was lots of buzzing electricals down there and wet floors

 

[jackal]

Re: Hastings Underground Ice Rink Report 17/12/07

Jackal did you not try out your new camera?

No piccies from me mate. I was more of an access technician for the evening.

As for a bit of history on the place - well, I new it had a fair bit, what with it originally being swimming baths, but I never new it went as far back as 1874 !

That pre-dates Sydney Little's St Leonards Swimming Baths by 59 years!

White Rock Baths

Originally opened in 1874 when the promenade was only 10 feet wide, the roof of the underground public baths formed part of the parade extension. There were two baths, and the bath furthest from the pier was originally intended as an aquarium but due to lack of funds it was opened as a small bath for ladies. It possessed steps down into the bath rather than the usual side steps and was popular amongst younger swimmers. The Hastings water polo team played their matches in the larger pool. Both pools were of salt water. White Rock Baths was transformed into The Baths Cinema during 1912 and opened in 1913 with seating for over 1,600 people.

I don't know how long it was a cinema for,(I never knew it was used as one) but it was turned into an ice-skating rink in about 1979. It remained as such for the next 18 years, finally closing it's doors in 1997.
It's been derelict ever since.

 

[jackal]

Re: Hastings Underground Ice Rink Report 17/12/07

super info Jackal,
Wonder what they will do with it??

Thanks.

Originally, the council wanted to save it as an ice rink, but no-one wanted to know.
Then there were talks with the owners of the pier, who liked the idea of turning it into a live music arena.
There were also plans to turn it into an underground carpark (an extension to the existing underground carparks). That was about 5 years ago.......