Ostravar Arena is preparing for the Para Hockey WCH
Preparations for the Ostravar Arena and the ice rink itself are underway for the upcoming Ostrava 2019 World Para Hockey Championships. While the team changing rooms, which are all barrier-free, do not undergo significant modifications, the arena staff members must almost completely redo the ice as well as the access to the ice that will suite the needs of the para hockey championships.
“At this point, we have completely replaced the barriers. We had to replace the existing ones with para hockey ones, which are transparent. We also had to adjust the bench gate and the penalty bench so that the barrier-free passage of hockey players was possible, ”said the arena manager of the 2019 Ostrava hockey team, Jan Szturc. The employees of Ostravar Arena in cooperation with the RT Torax Arena team are now laying plastic ice on the substitution bench and penalty benches. Ice surface treatment and bleaching are also ongoing.
The individual teams are bringing all their equipment eight days before the first throw-in of the World Championships in Ostrava. The fundamental changes are also on the surroundings of the ice surface itself. Normally, the arena offers only 17 wheelchair spaces. “However, we want to offer disabled people the opportunity to watch the Ostrava 2019 World Para Hockey Championships comfortably. A special barrier-free auditorium was created in the hall for these purposes, ”said Jan Szturc, arena manager of the Ostrava 2019 hockey team. There is also a podium for a band and DJ, who will accompany all the matches and breaks with live music. “ We definitely won’t be resting during the next two days, but we will focus on marking the Ostravar Arena and its surroundings. The navigation will serve not only the best para hockey teams in the world but also the fans so that they have a clear idea of where the fanzone, barrier-free toilets or refreshments in the hall are, ”added Jan Szturc.
