East Brunswick Ice Arena announces hockey programs ahead of opening

EAST BRUNSWICK – It's almost time to lace up the skates.

The township has announced the new East Brunswick Ice Arena, located at 1 Arena Drive, will open in early 2026 and will be owned, operated and fully managed by the township.

The facility will offer public skating, skating classes and a wide range of skating programs, events and programs.

As part of the arena’s launch, the township has partnered with Black Bear Sports Group to provide dedicated hockey programming. Black Bear is an established hockey operator in the region and will bring top-tier programs such as the Mercer Chiefs and the Princeton Tiger Lillies to run practices, games and tournaments out of the new arena.

In addition, Black Bear will offer hockey programs for kids and adults and summer camps throughout the year.

To support these programs, Black Bear has agreed to lease dedicated team locker rooms and a private off-ice training facility inside the arena to create an exceptional training environment for their players and families.

While Black Bear will serve as the arena’s primary hockey programming partner, the East Brunswick Ice Arena remains open to all local hockey organizations. Other teams and community groups are welcome to inquire about ice rentals, and bookings will be accommodated based on remaining availability.

In addition, the arena will proudly host the local East Brunswick High School hockey team, consisting of the Spotswood Chargers, East Brunswick Bears and South River Rams. This will strengthen the connection to community athletics, officials said.

Residents interested in hockey programming are encouraged to attend the arena’s upcoming opening events to meet the Black Bear team, ask questions and learn about registration opportunities.

All skating programs, public skating and general skating offerings will be managed directly by the East Brunswick Ice Arena staff, ensuring a community-focused, township-run experience for all recreational skaters.

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Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: East Brunswick Ice Arena announces hockey programs ahead of opening