Clinton Arena, also known as Edward W. Stanley Recreation Center, is an indoor arena in Clinton, New York. Originally built in 1948-49, the arena burned down on September 11, 1953. It was then rebuilt in 1954. It is built of concrete block and is two stories high. It consists of two blocks: the entrance block containing locker rooms and offices and the ice hockey rink block. The roof uses a Pennsylvania Truss system for support.It hosted the Eastern Hockey League's Clinton Comets from 1954 to 1973. In 1977, portion of Slap Shot was filmed in the arena. The arena seats 2,000 people and additional 300 standing room. The rink is currently utilized by the Clinton Central School hockey program and Clinton Youth Hockey and the Clinton Figure Skating Club. In December 2006 Clinton Arena hosted the first annual "Hockey town" event between Hamilton College and Utica College.The Clinton Arena is also home to the Clinton Figure Skating Club. It is one of the oldest figure skating clubs in the country and one of the largest on the East Coast. The club began as an informal group in 1948 following the construction of the Clinton Arena in Clinton, New York. Two years later, on August 14, 1950, Edward W. Stanley, one of the pioneers of the arena, initiated the first contact with the United States Figure Skating Association.
