Our Mission

To provide increased opportunity, education, and inspiration to the young people of Washington, DC and the surrounding area through ice skating and educational activities.

History

The Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena (Friends of FDIA), a not for profit 501[c]3, was formed in the summer of 1996 in response to the pending closure of the ice arena by its former owner, the National Park Service. Patrons and friends of the rink organized and took over the management of the arena, revitalizing the facility that is located in the heart of Ward 7 in Southeast DC.

During the past thirty years, Friends of FDIA has initiated and overseen major repairs, including a new addition to house offices and an educational meeting room complete with eight computer workstations, a refurbished lobby and concession stand, and an expanded skate shop.

In addition to bricks and mortar support, Friends of FDIA created the Kids On Ice® (KOI) program, which provides subsidized figure skating, hockey and speed skating lessons to youth in Washington DC Metropolitan area. This program is unique in that all three types of skating are Olympic sports, it offers programming to both boys and girls, and participants can choose from either a team sport or an individual sport.

In February of 2023, the original building was vacated and demolished to make way for a new building set to open in the same location in late summer/early fall of 2025. The new ice arena will include a single NHL-size ice sheet as well as expanded locker rooms, a movement studio, and a community meeting room. Details about the Fort Dupont Ice Arena renovation project can be found at https://dgs.dc.gov/page/dgs-fort-dupont-ice-arena-project.