For over 10 years, Westporters have wondered: What will the YMCA do with the Red Barn property?
Today, we know.
They’ll build the Red Barn Arena — a year-round ice rink facility — on the Wilton Road site, just off Merritt Parkway exit 20.
The project — funded by the Westport Weston Family Y, and a capital campaign — includes an NHL-regulation-size rink, spectator seating, locker rooms, a lobby and other amenities.
Computer-generated rendering of the Red Barn Ice Arena.
The design will pay homage to the Red Barn restaurant — a familiar spot for 8 decades — through architectural elements, the color palette, and preserved memorabilia (including its chandelier and iconic sign).
And of course, through the facility’s name.
Programs will include public skating, lessons, figure skating, youth and adult leagues, and summer camps.
The Red Barn Arena will also be home to Staples High School’s ice hockey teams. The boys now use Milford for practices and games; the girls’ base is in Stamford.
Another rendering.
The Y purchased the 3.2-acre parcel in 2015. It includes the restaurant building and a separate house.
It was owned by members of the Nistico family, who operated the Red Barn Restaurant from 1983 until July 2015. It had been a popular dining spot — and convenient meeting place for travelers — since the Merritt Parkway opened in the 1930s.
The Y explored many uses for the site (and fielded several requests from restaurateurs). Through member surveys and the input of an avid community group, YMCA officials decided that an ice arena would be both an important town asset, and fill a longstanding need.
It also fits with the Y’s mission: to provide recreational opportunities for individuals and families of all backgrounds and experience levels.
The Red Barn property, earlier this month. (Photo/Susan Garment)
“We couldn’t be more excited about this project,” says Westport Weston Family YMCA CEO Glen Hale.
“This facility will serve the entire town, from a child stepping on the ice for the first time to families enjoying a Friday night skate, to our high school teams finally having a home rink.”
A concrete floor can serve additional recreational purposes when the ice is not in use.
“We are grateful to the community members who have helped champion this project, and the many supporters who will help bring it to life,” Hale adds.
Russell Sherman — a project steering community member — says, “Westport is an amazing place that offers so much. But the one thing that’s always been missing since I grew up here has been a year-round ice rink for everyone to enjoy.
“The Red Barn was a place where Westport came together for decades. Now it will be again. We’re excited to create amazing memories on the same site, for generations to come.”
John McKinney is the Y’s board of trustees chair — and a fifth generation descendant of E.T. Bedford, who endowed and founded the Westport Y in 1923.
He says, “I know my family would be as excited as I am that we are building something that fits so well with our mission, and will have such a powerful impact on the community.”
Y board of directors president Juliane Sunderland says, “The Y has set a high standard for all the programs it runs. This will be no different.
“We are excited to add this facility to the Y’s offerings, and to serve even more families in Westport and the surrounding communities.”
A popular gathering spot, back in the day.
Y officials believe the Red Barn Arena will have a “positive complementary impact” on the outdoor PAL Rink at Longshore, which operates for 3 months each winter, by introducing more people to the joy of skating.
Plans for a capital campaign will be announced soon. That phase is expected to take a year and a half. Construction will take another 18 months.
Meanwhile, the Y will begin the permitting process. They note that while the current building sits in a floodplain, the new facility will be a bit away, out of that zone.
For project updates, renderings and more, click on the new website: RedBarnIceArena.com.
We took our Prom dates to dinner at the Red Barn !!! 1959-61
Such a great use of the land. And a wonderful tribute to a long-time Westport institution.
Wonderful addition to the community!!
what a great idea!
Finally! As an ice hockey family who has been shuttling our daughter to practices and games in Stamford and Shelton, this is a long overdue and much-needed addition to Westport! Bravo.
I always wondered what it would be and I’m so surprised and delighted with this great plan!
Amazing news!
Congratulations John and everyone who I am sure worked very hard to get to this decision point. This is a great re-purpose of real estate for everyone in Westport to enjoy. Maybe the forward thinking team at the YMCA could lend a hand to the disaster about to unfold in Saugatuck?
Translation: They’ll be tearing down the historic, beloved barn that was a Westport icon for decades.
What a great addition for the community!
Exciting for the community and a great activity for all, year round!
This is amazing!! The dedication and hard work of everyone involved should be commended. What a way to bring something old back to life and bring the community together and make it stronger and more connected!!!
Do we know if there will be a bar at the ice rink? For parents…of course…
SOOO EXCITING!!!! Can’t wait to see this come to fruition! Thank you to all that made this happen!!
Wonderful idea! Will plan retain ‘barnlike’ physical appearance?
Beautiful stone fireplace?
It’s a nice idea, but I can’t help but feel bitter about the fact they bought up a historical property only to let it rot for a decade to have an excuse to tear it down.
The “transformation” is nearly complete. All that remains is a plan for Baron’s South. Mandami will get run out of town (on a rail, naturally the Metro North (formerly NY, NH and Hartford) and will plunk his hard earned dollars on the Harvey Weinstein property. From the river (Saugatuck) to the sea (LI Sound), Westport must be free!!! Who’s going to do it? YOU Lieutenant Weinberg??? YOU, AOC??? We don’t need a plan. All we have to do is follow the troops at chow time Sir.
Well done, YMCA, Russ and team. This will be an amazing addition for our kids and community.
My 30th Staples reunion was held at The Red Barn and I think my family ate there a time or two way back when.
While I’m ambivalent in regards to hockey or skating this will new facility will no doubt be a welcome addition to the town. It’s impressive the lengths being taken to continue the Red Barn theme into the new building and integrating it into the existing environment. I agree with Dan Guilfoile’s remarks above that the would be developers of Saugatuck might take a cue from this project.
For those lamenting the loss of the old barn my guess it would be cost prohibitive to rehab/renovate and it would hardly accommodate and ice rink if it were. Time marches on.
I’m very excited about this announcement. A year-round Westport rink is long overdue.
This project will mean more access to skating and hockey for more young people in our community, especially those who want to learn to skate or play hockey without immediately committing to demanding travel programs. My two daughters, ages 6 and 4, who benefit greatly from lessons at Longshore PAL Rink in the winter, will have the opportunity to grow up playing hockey right here in Westport. When their older brother, Perrin, played hockey, we spent many hours driving to Stamford and beyond for practices and games. It will be so great to have something like this in our hometown.
I’m especially happy that Staples High School hockey boys and girls teams will finally have a true home rink, like so many of our amazing Staples athletic programs. I can’t wait to play some hockey at the Red Barn Ice Arena myself!
And I love that the plan and the name honor the Red Barn. My wife and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner there 22 years ago, and we have wonderful memories of that place. I look forward to making new hockey and skating memories with my family at the Red Barn Ice Arena.
Well done, Westport Weston Family YMCA! It’s a great day for hockey, for skating, and for Westport.
So very well said, James
This Red Barn Ice Arena plan addresses a long-outstanding need in Westport. Hats off to the Y and their leadership for this, which is a win for their members and the Westport community. While I would expect some to bemoan the final loss of the Red Barn restaurant, that’s been dead and gone for years and this is a wonderful use of that property that will benefit the community.
I predict traffic and sewer to be possible friction points . . .
A year-round rink will be fun! However, they may want to consider making the logo a little less “confederate”. Especially on top of the name!
Well, these grand plans do sound interesting but it seems to me that keeping the historic barn intact as part of the grand plan would be a fine homage to our town’s history. And for you folks who are new (compared to back then) to town and never enjoyed the Red Barn’s ambiance, deeply warm and enthusiastic welcomes and delectable food, you missed out on something wonderful. We just loved being there; it was high on the list of our favorite places. Anyway, to those who are creating these grand plans, please reconsider and save the historic red barn or at least explain publicly why you would not want to do so and why destroying it is preferable to saving it. Applying red paint on a new building does not compensate for destroying that historic structure. Our town is inhabited by so many talented creative people that surely there is a way to approach this situation.
This will be such a welcomed addition to town. As a founding member of the first Cornell Women’s Varsity Ice Hockey team (I was the goaltender), which only occurred due to Title IX legislation, it’s always amazing to see how the love of ice hockey, both men’s and women’s, grew exponentially once women could form official teams. And let’s not forget the budding figure skaters in town, as well as those who just want to learn to skate because ice skating is fun. Well done, Westport Y!