The BladeRunners Ice Complex was a group of ice hockey rinks and sports facilities which were located in Western Pennsylvania.

History

BladeRunners' first location opened in

Harmarville, Pennsylvania Harmarville is an unincorporated community located in Harmar Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. History Harmarville was founded in 1875. Harmar Township was named after Harmar Denny, who served as a United States Congressman (1829–1837) ...

in 1992; it was the first twin-ice facility in the Pittsburgh region. Two other locations opened in Warrendale, Pennsylvania in 1994 and in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania in 1995. The Harmarville location gained a third rink in 2003. BladeRunners hosted the 2005

American Collegiate Hockey Association The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a college ice hockey association. The ACHA's purpose is to be an organization of collegiate affiliated non-varsity programs, which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes qualit ...

Division III Men's National Hockey Championships and the USA in-line Girl's 16 and under national team. It was the home ice for several collegiate hockey programs, including Slippery Rock University,

California University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Western University, California (commonly known as PennWest California) is a public university campus in California, Pennsylvania and one of three campuses of Pennsylvania Western University, part of the Pennsylvania State System o ...

, and Pittsburgh Panthers. In 2012, the owners considered selling the Warrendale facility to the Grace Community Church. However, the sale did not proceed and nearly all tenants returned. In 2015, all of BladeRunners' locations were sold: the Warrendale rink became Baierl Ice Complex, the Harmarville location became Alpha Ice Complex, and Bethel Park location underwent a conversion to a YMCA.

Leagues

Bladerunners Ice Complex hosted a variety of ice hockey leagues, from junior age to college. * PIHL (Pennsylvania high school league) *

– College Hockey Mid-America *North Pittsburgh Hockey League *Various inline and ice hockey adult leagues

Other activities

Select Bladerunners Ice Complexes offered on-ice

bumper cars Bumper cars or dodgems are the generic names for a type of flat amusement ride consisting of multiple small electrically powered cars which draw power from the floor and/or ceiling, and which are turned on and off remotely by an operator. Bumpe ...

. Figure skating, sticktimes, pickup hockey, learn to skate, learn to play hockey, and various other activities were also offered.

Tenants

Several teams called their local Bladerunners their home rink: * Bethel Park High School * Shaler Area High School * Mars Area High School *

North Allegheny High School North Allegheny Senior High School (NASH) is a suburban high school in the North Allegheny School District and is located in Wexford, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The current building was built in 1974. In 2013, e ...

Fox Chapel High School Fox Chapel Area High School (Established in 1961) is a public school located in the Pittsburgh suburb of O'Hara Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was recognized and honored as a National Blue Ribbon School twice. The ...

* Seneca Valley High School * University of Pittsburgh *

* Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania *

South Allegheny School District South Allegheny School District is a suburban, public school district located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It serves the Pittsburgh suburbs of Port Vue, Liberty, Glassport, and Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln ( ...

References

External links

Bladerunners Ice Complex
{{coord, 40.539557, -79.834533, display=t, type:landmark Sports venues in Pittsburgh Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States College ice hockey venues in the United States