Category: Rhode Island

Rhode Island Sports Center – North Smithfield RI

RINK INFO:

  • Name: Rhode Island Sports Center
  • Address: 1186 Eddie Dowling Highway, North Smithfield RI (Route 146)
  • Rink Website:  www.risportscenter.com
  • GPS Info: Route 146. Northbound side.  GPS is accurate.  If coming from north you’ll have to loop around (easy to do) or take a quick left on Sayles Hill Rd-Right on Old Smithfield and then north on Eddie Dowling ( Take left at ligts before getting to the rink).  Easy
  • Homerink Info: Providence Capitals, youth groups, public skate, adult leagues
  • Parking:  Excellent. Plenty
  • Sheets: 2 Sheets
  • Locker Rooms: Plenty of rooms.  Decent sized.  Clean
  • Rink Conditions: Good rink.  Great ice.
  • Overall: We like this rink other than the commute.  Decent snack bar, great ice, well run facility.  It is on the cold side.  Cold scale of 1-10 (10 being the coldest) its right up there at an 8 or so. Lot of parking, easy to get to.  Plenty of restaurants within a few minute drive.

AMENITIES:

  • Pro Shop: Yes.  Large selection.  Skate sharpening offered
  • Snack Bar:  Yes.  Good quality, well run
  • Adult Bar: No
  • Vending Machine(s): Yes
  • ATM: Unknown
  • Arcade: Several video games available (including the claw game).
  • WiFi: Unknown
  • Bathrooms (non Locker room bathrooms): Several.  Best ones are in snack bar area.  Clean
  • Private Rooms: Unknown
  • Miscellaneous: LiveBarn is available

PRO SHOP:

  • Skate sharpening: Yes, at pro shop
  • Quality and quantity: Excellent.  One of the better stocked ones we have seen.  Just about everything is offered here, including skate repair
  • Selection: Excellent
  • Knowledge: Very good

OTHER:

  • Tailgating: Large parking lot.  We have done it before many times for long weekends.  Clean up after yourself and we have never had an issue here.
  • Local attractions: Lot of local places to eat.  Nearby is Providence RI.  Also for the adults in your party there is the Twin Rivers Casino (www.twinriver.com), the Lincoln Mall or (north on 146) about 20 min away the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley (www.shopsatblackstonevalley.com)
  • Things to do to kill time: Mall, Casino
  • Photography at rink: Decent
  • Other stuff for kids:  Arcade, mall, wouldn’t recommend stick handling in the rink.  Its frownded upon!  We liked getting there a little bit early after a long drive and letting the kids stretch in the parking lot with a game of football or wiffle ball.