The Orsha Ice Arena will become a filming location for a popular Russian youth series

One of the largest sports and entertainment facilities in the region – the Orsha Ice Arena – has been maximally utilizing its area of over 23 thousand sq. m. from day one. It has become not just a sports center, but also a multifunctional business and leisure facility – numerous events, including international sports competitions, have already been held on its basis. Last weekend, the grand closing ceremony of the ISU international competitions – the stage of the «EVO cup» among men, women, juniors, and junior girls in short track speed skating took place.

115 athletes from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland participated in the ice battles. Our country was represented at the tournament by strong athletes, including Olga Talaeva from Orsha.

Participants were welcomed by representatives of the Belarusian Skating Union, the Vitebsk Regional Skating and Short Track Federation, and the administration of the Orsha District Executive Committee. The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus also acted as an organizer. Maximum effort was made to create comfortable conditions and a friendly atmosphere.

– The ice is good, the organization is excellent, – shared her impressions Tatyana Pavlovich, a national category judge, master of sports, champion of the republic in speed skating, and short track speed skating coach at the Vitebsk Regional Center for Olympic Training in Winter Sports. She brought 8 of her trainees to Orsha.

The result of the Vitebsk region team is 14 prize-winning places in different age groups.

The ice competition season will be continued by the Youth Olympic Days in short track speed skating, which will take place at the arena in February. In March, the final of the “Golden Puck” will be held here. Novice and professional figure skaters and hockey players come to train on the Orsha ice, not only from the Vitebsk region, but also from Minsk and Russia. The palace has convenient locker rooms for athletes, dryers, and skate sharpening facilities.

Public skating is also extremely popular. According to the director of the Ice Arena, Nikolai Shulgin, there is no shortage of people wishing to spend their leisure time usefully: more than 400 people on weekdays and around 800 on weekends. 300 pairs of skates have been purchased, and they can be rented for 25 thousand rubles.

The Ice Arena is designed for 3500 spectators, and there are 9 comfortable VIP boxes for 10 people with monitors and furniture. The sound system is thoroughly thought out – several amplification systems, 6 clusters with a total capacity of 40 kilowatts, plus additional concert equipment. In addition to the arena itself, the palace's structure includes a gym and fitness rooms, bowling, a billiards room, a negotiation room, a conference hall for 185 seats, and the cafe “Atmosphere”, and a bar. A children's room is ready to welcome its first little visitors: while parents are engaged in sports or watching a match, specialists will entertain their children. In the very near future, visitors will also be able to appreciate the European cuisine of the restaurant.

In the design of the complex, warm orange colors contrast with the cold tones. The “Light Lanterns” on the roof not only provide lighting but also harmoniously complement the appearance of the palace.

According to Tatiana Prokofieva, the administrator of the sports and entertainment complex, the second-floor foyer is a favorite spot for family recreation. The arcade machines are popular not only with children but also with their parents. The table tennis tables are also never empty. The foyer windows offer a wonderful view of the city.

Fitness classes are actively held in the gym – the number of people wishing to improve their health and figure is growing every day. The bowling hall is booked every day a week in advance. The spacious yet cozy room is designed for 9 lanes, 2 of which are equipped with special lifting bumpers for children. There are 72 pairs of shoes and balls for different weight categories. Neon lighting, comfortable tables and soft furniture, a separate bar – everything is in the bowling hall, the only one of its kind in Orsha. Thanks to the sports and entertainment complex, the cultural life of the townspeople will become more diverse. On March 2, Orsha residents will be able to see the ice show "Swan Lake" by the St. Petersburg State Theatre, and in the near future, concerts by Denis Maidanov, Vladimir Vinokur, and the band "Bravo" are planned.

In April, the Russian channel STS will continue filming the famous series

"Molodezhka". The Ice Arena in Orsha will become the setting for exciting events from the lives of hockey players, and students from children's sports schools and clubs of the city will be involved in the crowd scenes.

Olga Lebedeva, "Vitebskiye Vesti"