Peabody Rink Welcomes More Skaters With State Curfew Put On Ice

PEABODY, MA — James McVann-Louis O'Keefe Memorial Skating Rink Manager Paul LoGiudice said his phone started lighting up as soon as word got around that the state business curfew was going down Thursday afternoon.

For several private rental groups, as well as weekly over-40 men's hockey league, that lost their ice time when Gov. Charlie Baker announced a 9:30 p.m. business curfew and stay-at-home advisory amid rising coronavirus rates in November, the puck will drop in the 10:15 p.m. time slot for the first time this season as soon as next week.

"A couple of the groups called me right away," LoGiudice told Patch from the rink Friday morning. "They wanted to make sure we didn't forget about them and asked if they can come and have their time back."

Gov. Baker said Thursday that declining statewide coronavirus positive test rates and some improvement in hospitalizations will allow the state to slowly ease business restrictions, including the end of the 9:30 curfew, as of Monday morning.

LoGiudice told Patch in November that while he was happy hockey rinks had gotten a reprieve after the state shut them down for two weeks due to a group of coronavirus clusters – which Baker later said were more related to social gatherings around the games than the gameplay itself – involving youth hockey, he regretted having to tell the later renters and leagues they could not come back because of the curfew.

"I can't kick people out of the spots these leagues used to have because their spot is not available anymore," he said in November. "I have no room for them. It's tough on a self-sustaining rink like us. It's going to be tough to pass the next budget."

LoGiudice said the end of the curfew will allow the rink to restore between nine and 10 hours of rentals and help make up for a projected $37,000 in lost revenue over the winter because of the curfew.

"It seems like all of the guys are going to come back,” he said. "It might take a week or two for some of them. But they are excited.

"I was surprised. Nobody was talking about (ending) curfew at all and then the governor had that second press conference (Thursday) and announced it. That was good. It's good for all of us. It will help us recover."

LoGiudice said it may take a couple of weeks to determine whether there are any openings for new players and that those interested in any newly available ice time can contact him the rink.

The end of the curfew as of 5 a.m. Monday morning will allow the rink to add back a time slot that ends at 11:05. With no social gathering allowed at the rink, LoGiudice said he will close very soon after that.

He said things have gone relatively smoothly since the November reopening — with extensive cleaning and social distance protocols — including the high school seasons of the Peabody and Bishop Fenwick boys and girls teams.

"There have been a few postponements," he allowed. "But everybody seems to be trying to follow protocols, and keep a safe distance, and keep the kids safe."

Peabody allows one parent in the rink per player each game, with games also streamed on Peabody Cable TV.

"I had to move some groups around and cancel one or two things to allow for more time to clean and disinfect before and after games," he said of the parent allowance. "But we're dealing with it. Parents are excited to be able to come and see the kids play. It's good for the seniors.

"So we adapt and overcome like we always do."

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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