OLDSMAR, Fla. — It's all about bringing the joy of hockey to the beautiful people in the city of Oldsmar.
Partnering with the Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hockey Foundation, the city unveiled a one-of-a-kind outdoor ball hockey rink — officially named the BOLTSMAR Outdoor Hockey Rink — in October 2019. City spokesperson Noah Shandrowsky spoke about the rink's impact on the community.
"We established the rink in October of 2019 in partnership with the Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hockey Foundation. We are the first Lightning-made hockey rink in Pinellas County," Shandrowsky said.
The rink hosts various programs and activities throughout the week. Mondays and Thursdays are dedicated to adult pickup hockey, drawing a great group of enthusiastic players. According to Shandrowsky, the atmosphere is both friendly and competitive, making it a perfect spot for exercise and enjoyment.
But the rink isn't just for adults. It's a place to learn hockey for kids. What sets this outdoor ball hockey rink apart from the rest is its state-of-the-art sport court flooring.
Shandrowsky explained, "This is the only outdoor ball hockey rink in the Tampa Bay area that has this sport court flooring. What this really does is it enhances the level of play.
"The ball moves smoothly on here. If you have an outdoor puck, it moves smoothly on here just like it would on the ice. This truly is the best flooring that you could possibly have for outdoor ball hockey."
The rink is located at 3120 Tampa Road.