“‘There’s one minute left in the period. One Minute!’ ‘AND CLARKSON STILL SUCKS.’” This comforting sound is familiar to Saints Hockey fans who have visited Appleton Arena, home to the Skating Saints, since its opening in January of 1951.
With the help of Tom Dolan ‘74 and the Dolan Family Foundation, the Madhouse on Miner will soon undergo renovations to bring it into the modern era, while still preserving its timeless charm. The goals of the donation are to “benefit student-athletes in the hockey programs as well as other intercollegiate and intramural sports while also improving the spectator experience both in the Arena and through online livestream,” according to a press release from the university.
Appleton is considered to be one of the “heritage” facilities on campus, and was last renovated in 2009. Architecture firm HOK, which is known for its designs of both professional and collegiate stadiums, was awarded the bid to redesign the facility. Designs proposed by HOK will be reviewed by St. Lawrence’s Steering, Planning, and Oversight Committee, as well as a Campus User Group, which is composed of members of the Board of Trustees, athletic coaches, and current and former members of the Saints Hockey Teams. The University hopes that the plans will be complete by April of this year, and, once the funding has been secured, 18 months of work on the arena will begin.
The work will, reportedly, not interfere with any games scheduled in the arena. While the University hopes to update Appleton’s entranceways, press box, overhead lighting, and live streaming capabilities, they hope to keep the heritage and character of the rink that Saints Hockey has called home for well over half a century.
Sarah Vogel ’19 states, “I’m so glad they’re preserving the beauty on the inside of Appleton, the wooden bleachers are so classic.” Older generations of Laurentians also appreciate Appleton’s historical charm. “Every time my grandfather (Dave “Duke” Snyder ‘65, who played for the St. Lawrence men’s hockey team) or my mom (Kristen Vogel ‘89, who played for the St. Lawrence women’s hockey team) come back to the arena, they never fail to comment on how comforted they are that the place is so unchanging. Even though the wood is a little worn, it’s such an iconic aspect of the school and the hockey program, and it deserves to be there for future Laurentians to enjoy.”
“The rink smells and feels like home,” stated Molly Bushnell ‘20, treasurer of the St. Lawrence Figure Skating Club. “I would rather be skating at Appleton, with its perfect temperature and gorgeous ice, than skating anywhere else.” With the new renovations to the rink, new as well as old memories created in Appleton by SLU students, hockey fans, and players will continue to live on for generations to come.