Centre ice · Story
Centre ice in Mint Hill: a visit described
What it actually looks like when a family walks in.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
If Mint Hill is home, this is the sort of place you end up returning to rather than ticking off. That changes what a first visit is worth planning around.
Walking in
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Two shorter visits teach a child more than one long one. The second time they already know what they want to try, and that is when the good part starts.
The middle of the visit
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
The last ten minutes
The middle of the rink is where the wall stops helping. Getting there is the milestone every new skater sets for themselves without being asked.
Let the child choose what to do first even when it is the thing you would have chosen last. The order matters less than the choosing.
What sticks
It is also the best place to watch from the rail: the whole rink is between you and them, and every lap comes back past you.
Space in the centre is what lets a child try a turn. Near the boards there is always somebody to avoid; in the middle there is only the turn.
Questions parents ask
How long before a child leaves the rail?
Some in the first session, some in the fifth. Neither is unusual.
What are the opening hours?
10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
Planning your visit in Mint Hill
If you are coming from Mint Hill, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Bring a spare layer even in summer. Malls are air conditioned, rinks are colder than that, and a cold child is a child who wants to go home.
Agree the leaving time before you walk in, out loud, to the child. Announcing it later sounds like a punishment; agreeing it first sounds like a plan.
Families searching from Mint Hill are usually weighing one thing: whether it is worth the trip for an hour of something the children have not done before. The honest answer is that it depends on the child, and the rest of this page is about telling which.
The practical details
- XCAV ZONE — 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214: four child-operated machines over a ball pit.
- ICE PARK — 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027: a real rink with bumper cars on the ice.
- Opening hours — 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Phone — +1 (424) 387-6232 · +1 (615) 968-4925
- E-mail — info@newlife-entertainment.com
Anything time critical is worth a phone call first: hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.