Baltimore youth hockey team rallies $500K to save Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center
The Tender Bridge's youth hockey program, the Baltimore Banners, is celebrating after a major $500,000 in grant award and donations were announced Saturday.
The team says the funds will be used to help Patterson Park's Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center stay open, as the city planned to close it at the end of the 2026 season, citing structural concerns and more.
"This is not a small amount, and I'm very confident that it's enough to hopefully keep this rink open for a little while longer," said Jack Burton, Executive Director of Tender Bridge and the Baltimore Banners head coach.
The team says the closure would have placed this community resource at risk.
The power of community
On Saturday, the Baltimore Banners invited local community members, elected officials, and supporters of youth recreation to their Save Our Rink Rally and game in support of the skating center.
The Baltimore Banners' program includes the Junior Banners, Banners, and Banners for Life, serving those from ages 8 to 24.
For many involved in the program, the rink is more than a place to play hockey. Members say it is a place of belonging, structure, and growth.
"This rink means so much more than ice," said Jack Burton. "It is woven into the fabric of this community. To lose it without a real plan for the future would be a tremendous disservice to the people it serves."
The rink's location is especially important because it is centrally located near the Baltimore City neighborhoods where many of the young men and women in the program live. Organizers say that accessibility allows the Banners to serve 40-60 young people each Saturday.
"When I didn't know how to skate — they helped me learn how to skate," said Tarell 'Rell' Scott, a player on the Baltimore Banners ice hockey team.
Without the rink, the hockey programming would be pushed to use Mount Pleasant Ice Rink on the edge of the city, where scheduling and logistics are far more difficult. Organizers explained that this could lead to less ice time, no room for equipment storage, and perhaps most importantly, a major change to their current transportation model.
Many players walk to the rink, as it is close to home. Others rely on transportation nearly 100% of the time. So the ability for volunteers to make multiple trips from nearby neighborhoods is critical.
If the team has to move to Mt. Pleasant, organizers estimate they may only be able to serve about 15-20 young people per weekend-- cutting more than half of those they already serve.
Youth development in Baltimore
For Tender Bridge, hockey is not just a sport. It is a proven vehicle for youth development.
Through the Banners program, young people gain mentorship, accountability, confidence, and access to life-changing opportunities that extend far beyond the rink
"It builds character. For many of the kids, this is their first time ever playing hockey," explained Jamal Perkins, a member of the Baltimore Banners board of directors. "You see them really push through."
"The focus of this effort is not about conflict, but community," Burton explained. "At a time when Baltimore's young people need safe, constructive, and inspiring spaces more than ever, Patterson Park's Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center should be strengthened, not lost."
Tender Bridge has expressed a desire to work collaboratively with Baltimore City toward meaningful solutions that preserve access to the rink while long-term options are explored.
"Ultimately, there's probably going to have to be a new rink built at some point, and $500,000 is a good step to hold us over and to put some planning together. But ultimately, the goal here is to keep this rink here forever," Burton concluded.