Centre ice · Tips
Centre ice in Salisbury: things worth doing differently
The things nobody tells you until you have done it twice.
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.
Nothing about the visit assumes you know the area. The centre is inside Concord Mills, which is signposted from everywhere in Concord and impossible to miss once you are there.
Before you leave the house
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.
Check the day of the week against the closing time before you leave. Sunday finishes earlier than the rest of the week and catches people out.
When you arrive
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.
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.
While you are there
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.
Warn a nervous child about the noise before you walk in. Knowing what to expect is most of the difference between anxious and curious.
On the way home
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.
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.
How do I get in touch?
By phone on +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925, or by e-mail at info@newlife-entertainment.com.
Planning your visit in Salisbury
For a Salisbury family the trip works best folded into something else - the shopping that was happening anyway, a birthday that needed a venue, a Saturday that needed a plan.
A short visit that ends while they still want more beats a long one that ends in a meltdown, every time.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
Parents from Salisbury tend to ask the same first question: how long will this hold their attention. Long enough to be worth the drive, and short enough to leave while they still want more.
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
If a visit needs planning around a date, a group or a long drive, the centre is easiest to reach by phone: +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925.