The Ice Cave, pictured in a graphic on the rink’s website, is expected to open later this month.
Lake Elsinore is getting its first indoor ice rink this spring — a private facility developers say will fill a gap in Southern California’s ice sports scene.
The owners of Ice Cave, James and Jennifer Dragescu, are working to open the rink by the end of April, with James saying the final step is completing the ice surface itself.
“We have NHL contractors in there, so they’re the ones that do the ice chiller,” Dragescu said. “We really want to have the best quality ice possible.”
The ice is built in layers and has to be carefully leveled and painted to make sure it’s smooth and ready to skate on.
“There’s a big process to build ice,” Dragescu said. “We don’t want to rush in, because then the ice can look like it’s cracked, or it looks like the paint job isn’t good. We really want to give the best ice in town.”
Ice Cave will be a year-round, climate-controlled facility off Corydon Road. It will be the first of its kind in the region, offering public skating, figure skating programs, learn-to-skate classes and youth and adult hockey leagues.
“We’re going to be doing some unique opportunities,” Dragescu said. “The sky’s the limit.”
The City of Lake Elsinore announced the project in a press release, calling it a major milestone for the city’s growing action sports identity. Officials said the rink will expand recreational opportunities and help the city become a regional hub for sports and tourism.
In the release, Mayor Bob Magee said the rink marks an exciting time for the future of action sports in Lake Elsinore.
“This is more than just a rink — it’s a statement,” Magee said. “Lake Elsinore is not only keeping the action alive on land, air and water, we’re now bringing the thrill of the ice to our community.”
Dragescu said the idea for Ice Cave came from limited access to ice sports in the area, with the nearest rinks more than an hour away.
“There’s a shortage of ice,” he said. “The closest rink around town is either up north or down south in San Diego.”
The response from the community has already been strong.
“A lot of people are reaching out to figure out what the programming is,” he said. “They’re also reaching out to see if there are any employment opportunities. So there are a lot of people that are really excited.”
Dragescu said that the goal is to create a space that feels welcoming for everyone, from first-time skaters to professional athletes. He said the rink is designed to have a community-focused feel, modeled after the types of rinks he grew up around in Michigan.
“We want to set that culture and at the same time we want to make it a fun and exciting place,” he said. “We want everybody to come in and we want to make it a place people want to come back to.”
