Jamaica Ice Hockey Federation Nears Synthetic Rink Deal With Ultimate Hockey

Winter sports in Jamaica, with ice hockey leading the charge, could see a sharp lift if Jamaica Ice Hockey Federation (JIHF) president Don Anderson finalises a partnership with synthetic rink supplier Ultimate Hockey.

For years, the late Richard Salm, who led the Jamaica Ski Federation, pushed hard to get an ice rink built here but made little headway. Anderson said recent moves have now brought that long-standing aim within reach. The federation wants to welcome Ultimate Hockey representatives to Jamaica, sit down with key stakeholders, and map out next steps.

The connection grew out of Anderson’s attendance at International Ice Hockey Federation (IHF) congresses, including the most recent gathering in Zurich, where Ultimate Hockey had a display booth. JIHF officials spoke with company staff there about what a Jamaican project might look like.

Anderson noted that the IHF now sees synthetic rinks as a practical option for nations that lack the money or climate to build and maintain conventional ice facilities. The global body has cleared approved synthetic surfaces for competitive play.

“I had discussions with Ultimate and we have been exchanging correspondence and they are very keen to work with Jamaica on it,” he said.

Anderson said he could not share full particulars yet, but confirmed the company’s strong interest. His immediate task, he added, is to send a formal letter asking Ultimate Hockey to visit Jamaica for talks with the Olympic Association, the minister of sports, and other relevant parties, and to outline costs and options.

“There is a document that will be sent to me that will tell me more about it, but where we are now, we are in discussion with them about the establishment of a synthetic surface in Jamaica. They are very keen to work with us on this, but no definite arrangement has been made yet,” he declared.

A synthetic installation would give players access throughout the calendar year at a fraction of the expense of a traditional rink, Anderson said. That steady availability would support year-round development work and help the sport take firmer root locally.

“The gap between synthetic ice and real ice is now so narrow that they (IHF) are approving playing on that surface. A synthetic rink that can be layed out for 12 months for the year, and compared to the establishment of a regulation rink, the cost is minimal compared to that,” he said.

Ultimate Hockey is expected to forward detailed proposals for review and then travel to Jamaica for further meetings. Separately, the JIHF has secured approval for a youth programme under the IHF’s Grow The Game Fund and is staging a summer camp for roughly 60 children.

“We are now putting on a camp in the summer for about 60 kids. So the Ice rink is now going to be useful for local programmes to develop the local talent, which is important,” Anderson said.

He linked the camp and the rink talks directly, noting that local courses running through August would feed into long-term player development once a facility is in place.

“So once we get the rink, we can have somewhere for these kids to have training to learn to play hockey. The two go hand in hand. The local courses that we are having between now and the end of August, and the discussion on the ice rink, because once we get the ice rink up, that is where the young people are going to play,” he said.

Anderson said he is hopeful a rink could be operational by the middle of 2027, though timing and cost still depend on site choice and further talks.

“If we get an old building and retrofit it, we can put it in quickly, but we don’t know what it is going to cost. This is just my estimate of the time, but once we have more discussions with Ultimate we will know exactly how long it will take,” he added.