The new ice arena was officially dedicated with a ceremony Wednesday night, complete with refreshments, ice demonstrations and free skating.

Mayor Ted Tedesco cut the ribbon, with help from ISU President Gregory Geoffroy, Government of the Student Body President Andy Tofilon and Ames Figure Skating Club Board Member Tom Reis.

“Dare to dream and it will become a reality,” Tedesco said. “Tonight it is a reality – the dedication of the Ames/ISU Ice Arena.”

The mayor said he is pleased with how the project progressed over the last five or six years with everyone coming together.

“People put together a plan that brought together important bodies within our community – the citizens of Ames, the students of Iowa State University and the Iowa State Foundation – to accomplish this great feat,” Tedesco said.

Reis said the new arena is a tribute to the hockey teams and figure skating clubs in Ames that will benefit from the facility.

“We always thought it was Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin known for ice activities,” he said. “Little did they know it could happen in Ames, Iowa.”

Geoffroy said the ice arena was “the coolest place in Ames.”

“This ice arena is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when we think beyond our individual neighborhoods and boundaries to determine the needs of the entire community and then act together as a community in meeting those needs,” he said.

What started as a unique idea has become a place for everyone to have fun, Tofilon said.

“All students have great memories of the old arena having fun,” he said. “It is going to be kind of hard to say goodbye to the old stadium, but we need to start having memories of this facility, and we need to go and cheer on our hockey team.”

Reis said everyone should come out and enjoy the new arena and wonderful activities.

“Let’s keep the kids off the streets and out of hot water by keeping them on the ice,” Reis said. “Because we all know ice is nice.”