Residents fight to keep hockey rink at Fresno park

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Recently, city officials have discussed whether or not to replace the hockey complex at Cary Park with something new. But some residents say they like the park the way it is and are fighting to keep the rink.

The skating surface has faded and the goal nets have torn but the inline hockey rink at Cary Park in Fresno remains the only one of its kind in the city. Now there is concern officials will get rid of it to make way for a lawn bowling field.

Iris Levesque was there in 2002 when city officials unveiled the rink for the first time, her passion and dedication to the cause was a big driving force in making the playing surface a reality and give kids who grew up during the West Coast hockey boom a new place to play.

"Some of the Monsters play here, some of the Fresno State hockey team players play here... there's a lot of kids who play here," Levesque said. "About '94, Wayne Gretzky started playing on ESPN... alot of kids in Central California that year got inline skates."

Hockey's popularity in the Central Valley has since declined and pick up games at Cary Park have also dipped over the years but there are no concrete plans to shut down the rink.

City officials declined to go on camera but tell Action News they are dedicated to keeping the hockey complex alive and just to be sure the city doesn't pull a reversal on its promise. Levesque has started a Facebook page to keep Fresno's only outdoor rink.