Cranbrook Skating Club Records
Collection Scope
The Cranbrook Skating Club Records provide for unique research of one aspect in the history of Cranbrook School.
SERIES I: History (1953-1957; n.d.) briefly documents the initial planning and dedication of the Cranbrook Skating Rink. Included here are three newspaper clippings, a pamphlet entitled "Why a Skating Rink at Cranbrook?" produced by the Friends of Cranbrook, and a copy of a report of the "Cranbrook Arena Committee Position Statement."
SERIES II: Administrative (1952-1982) consists of correspondence and minutes. The correspondence is the central focus of the Skating Club Records. Here researchers can see the development of the skating rink over the course of the planning and building stages. Also within this series are the minutes of meetings of the Skating Club. Of interest in the minutes are various programs designed to draw users to the skating rink during the 1970s. There is also a proposal for the skating rink and attached buildings to be enclosed.
SERIES III: Financial Summaries (1957-1982) contains receipts and statements. These two areas document the building payments and subsequent operational expenditures over the course of the history of the Skating Club.
SERIES IV: Topical files (1956-1980) is comprised of insurance Information, and rink operations. The rink operations contains equipment pamphlets, and specifications for various physical parts of the skating rink.
SERIES V: Visual Materials (1983; n.d.) consists of three undated photographs of skating rinks, not identified as the Cranbrook's actual Skating Rink design, and slides of the 1983 construction of the ice arena.
SERIES VI: Architectural and Mechanical Drawings (1953-1959) consists of non-original renderings. The reproductions document different plans for the skating rink, by various contractors, including plans for comparable facilities located elsewhere.
Dates
- 1952 - 1982
- Majority of material found within 1956 - 1980
Creator
- Cranbrook (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) (Organization)
Access
Access to the collection is unrestricted.
Use
Permission to use collection materials must be requested in writing.
History
From the dedication of the ice-skating rink on January 12, 1957 until 1982, the Cranbrook Skating Club oversaw all aspects of the ice rink operations. Originally built at an estimated cost of $104,000, Cranbrook School provided skating for both the public and their inter-scholastic hockey team six months of the year. (Birmingham Eccentric, "Cranbrook School to Unveil $104,000 Ice Rink Saturday," January 10, 1957; newspaper clipping in "History," hereafter as "Cranbrook School," 1-10-57.) The Cranbrook Skating Club was an apparent outgrowth of the Cranbrook Arena Committee. ("Cranbrook Arena Committee Position Statement," undated. copy in "History.") The Cranbrook rink was designed and constructed by Chas. R. Beltz and Company, Cronk and Tocco, The Garrison Company, and the W.J. Stewart companies, as an identical plan of the Williams College facility. (Friends of the Cranbrook School, "Why a Skating Rink at Cranbrook?" undated.; pamphlet in "History," hereafter as "Why a Skating Rink?") The rink was designed to "hockey specifications, 85 x 190 feet." ("Cranbrook School," 1-10-57.) Unique in the history of Cranbrook School, the skating rink was "the first effort to add to the school's plant by raising outside funds." ("Cranbrook School," 1-10-57.) The funds were acquired through Cranbrook alumni, parents of Cranbrook boys currently enrolled in the school, Bloomfield and Birmingham residents, and other external organizations. ("Why a Skating Rink?") Throughout the years, the Cranbrook Skating Club held Board of Directors meetings, generated correspondence for the raising of funds for daily operations, and supervised various program schedules, benefits, and workers of the skating rink.
Extent
.8 Linear Feet (2 MS)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Cranbrook Skating Club began as an outgrowth of the Cranbrook Arena Committee. It operated from January 12, 1957 until 1982. It was designed and constructed by Chas. R. Beltz and Company, Cronk and Tocco, The Garrison Company, and the W.J. Stewart companies, to resemble the Williams College facility. In addition to overseeing all aspects of the ice rink operations, the club provided skating for both the public and Cranbrook’s inter-scholastic hockey team six months of the year. Unique in the history of Cranbrook School, the skating rink was "the first effort to add to the school's plant by raising funds through alumni, parents, Bloomfield and Birmingham residents, and other organizations. The collection reflects the history, planning, and operational functions of the ice-rink as well as the administrative functions of the Skating Club. The collection includes correspondence, meeting minutes, etc. specific to the Skating Club, as well as historical, financial, and visual materials related to the rink itself. Also included are Architectural and Mechanical Drawings (non-original renderings), as well as an extensive amount of insurance information.
Arrangement
The records are comprised of six series: History (Box 1); Administrative (Box 1); Financial Summaries (Box 2); Topical (Box 2); Visual Materials (Box 2); and Architectural and Mechanical Drawings (non-original)(Box 2).
Processing History
Processed and finding aid created by E. Heidi Yeager, May 1996.
Creator
- Cranbrook (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the Cranbrook Skating Club Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Original finding aid written by E. Heidi Yeager.
- Date
- 1996
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- Resource record created by Nichole L. Manlove.
Repository Details
Part of the Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research Repository