Found on YouTube (and in our Gallery) a highlight of Berkeley Iceland's history. The 1966 US National Figure Skating Championships was the last of three such competitions. The Ladies Gold Medalist was the Bay Area's own Peggy Fleming.

I was saddened to hear about the loss of another historic, deco skating rink opened in 1940 - Sacramento Iceland.  The building was consumed by an accidental fire on Sunday, 28 March 2010 - full details are available from the Sacramento Bee.  Sacramento Iceland shares some history with Berkeley Iceland - the original owner of the Sacramento rink used to film events at Berkeley and the current operators have supported our efforts.  We hope for their community they are able to rebuild and reopen their historic rink.

The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) announce on their website today that they have filed an application to nominate Berkeley Iceland to the National Register of Historic Places.  The application was prepared by John English, retired city planner for the City of Oakland and a Berkeley resident, at the request of BAHA.  The application was posted to Sacramento on January 12, 2010.  If Berkeley Iceland is judged eligible for the National Register, this can help in the efforts to fund a full renovation of the historic ice rink.  See the full announcement in the BAHA Blog post

As the result of a lawsuit by the owners of Berkeley Iceland in their continuing efforts to be allowed unrestricted development of the landmarked arena, the Berkeley City Council will hold another hearing regarding the landmark designation of Berkeley Iceland on Tuesday, January 19, at 7 pm in the Berkeley City Council Chambers (2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way).  Save Berkeley Iceland will be at this meeting to contest the action which led to the rehearing and defend the landmark designation.  Rather than work within the well defined process to develop historic resources, the current owners of Berkeley Iceland hope that the Mayor and City Council will give them special consideration which is likely to result in the loss of the historic and needed recreation facility.  We encourage the community to join us at this meeting to protest the way this hearing was brought about and to support the landmark designation of Berkeley Iceland, and to contact the Mayor and City Council with the message that we want to protect our precious resources [names and addresses for the Mayor and Councilmembers are listed here].

Berkeley Iceland is a landmark, a fact known to almost anyone who has lived in Berkeley or experienced Berkeley Iceland since the doors opened in 1940. A fact made official in the designation by the Berkeley Landmark Preservation Commission (LPC) in May 2007 and, at one time, affirmed by the Berkeley City Council. The community worked hard to gain the landmark designation through a process that gave ample opportunity for the current owners to make their case. In the end, a Berkeley gem was deemed worthy of the formal title of "Berkeley Landmark." As part of a settlement to a lawsuit initiated by the current owners of Berkeley Iceland, the Berkeley City Council will revisit its decision to uphold the LPC's designation. A public hearing is currently scheduled for the January 19, 2010 City Council meeting - a meeting supporters of Berkeley Iceland need to attend. 

Berkeley Iceland is once again in need of our community.  The Berkeley City Council is being forced by the current owners, East Bay Iceland (EBI), to review and possibly overturn the Berkeley Landmark designation made by the Landmark Preservation Commission in 2007.  As settlement to a suit filed by EBI in October 2009, the Landmark designation will be on the agenda of the City Council meeting on 19 January 2010.  Our community needs to make our voice heard in support of Berkeley Iceland.