About
- Essex County Codey Arena
South Mountain Recreation Complex
560 Northfield Avenue West Orange, NJ 07052
973.731.3828 ext. 0
Face coverings are optional while indoors and skating at the Essex County Codey Arena.
The staff at Codey Arena will continue with our daily routine cleaning and sanitizing of all areas and bathrooms within the facility as we want to ensure the safety and well-being of our skating community.
PUBLIC SESSION SCHEDULE
**NO PUBLIC SESSIONS NOVEMBER 22, 23, 24 DUE TO THE NJYHL HOCKEY PLAYOFFS**
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND HOLIDAY SKATING SCHEDULE
Friday 11/29 <> 1pm - 2:30pm / 3:30pm - 5pm / 5:30pm - 7pm/ 7:30pm - 9pm
Saturday 11/30 <> 10am - 11:30am / 12:30pm - 2pm / 3pm - 4:30pm / 5:30pm - 7pm
Sunday 12/1 <> 10am - 11:30am / 12:30pm - 2pm
Admission Cost: Adults - $10.00 / Children (15 & under) - $8.00 / Military & Seniors (62 & older) ~ $8.00
Skate Rentals - $5.00
PUBLIC SESSION RESERVATION LINK
**DISCOUNT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND PICKED UP AT THE MAIN OFFICE
FREESTYLE SESSIONS:
$18 per hour; Check the calendar for daily freestyle sessions below
FREESTYLE RESERVATIONS:
**DISCOUNT CARDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND PICKED UP AT THE MAIN OFFICE
LEARN TO SKATE CLASS REGISTRATION
LEARN TO SKATE - WINTER CLASSES
- REGISTRATION OPENS: MONDAY DECEMBER 23, 2024
- REGISTRATION CLOSES: WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15, 2025
- CLASS START DATE: JANUARY 17, 2025
CLASSES OFFERED: NOVEMBER 2024
FRIDAYS <> 4:15PM-4:45PM
SATURDAYS <> 11:15AM-11:45AM & 1:30-2:00PM
SUNDAYS <> 11:15AM-11:45AM & 1:30PM-2:00PM
Public session follows all classes for those registered in class at no cost!
All skaters must also sign up for the new USFS registration calendar year.
ONLINE RESERVATION:
Learn to Skate Signup Link: Use the link directly below to sign up
LEARN TO SKATE RESERVATION LINK
Codey Arena recommends that all skaters bring/wear a helmet, gloves and warm clothing
USFS skating association fee included in price and covers skater from July 1 thru June 30. The calendar and registration form can be found in the Permits / Fees / Rentals section. For more information, contact us at 973.731.3828 ext. 0.
LEARN to SKATE USA
The ice skating arena is open to the public for skating, group skating lessons, private ice skating lessons, and birthday parties. Figure skating sessions and ice hockey camps and clinics are also available year round. Essex County Codey Arena recommends that skaters wear a helmet during public session skating.
Essex County Codey Arena is host to NJ High School ice hockey games, the annual Essex County Winter Holiday Hockey Tournament, the Essex Skating Club Winter Ice Escapade, and many figure skating competitions. Some non-ice events the arena has hosted include the Essex County High School Wrestling Tournament, ESPN Friday Night Fights, the Wounded Warrior/NFL Alumni Football game, the ATU National Taekwondo Championships, and many local high school graduations.
ARENA HOURS OF OPERATION
- Monday to Thursday - 6am to 11pm
- Friday to Sunday - 6am to 11pm
Call ahead or check the arena schedule on the website for public skating and freestyle skating times.
Private Lessons
The arena offers private skating lessons with our Figure Skating Professional Staff and international coaches that includes outstanding on and off ice training options. For private lesson information, please the front office at 973.731.3828 ext. 0.
Clubs and Organizations
The arena hosts a variety of clubs and organizations throughout the year. The following groups use the facility hosting programs and events throughout the season:
- New York Sirens - PWHL
- Essex Figure Skating Club
- Skyliners Synchroized Skating Club
- Theater on Ice / Bravo team / TOI Adult team
- Essex Blades Skating team
- Garden State Speedskating Club
- Essex Special Olympics
- Essex County High School Hockey teams
- Hockey North America Men's League
- Devils Youth Ice Hockey Club / Devils Sled Hockey program
- Daredevils Hockey Club
- Great Saves Goaltending School & Training Center
- Seton Hall University Men's Ice Hockey Club
Historic Profile
The Essex County Codey Arena at South Mountain (formerly the South Mountain Arena) is an ice hockey and ice skating arena in West Orange, New Jersey as part of the South Mountain Recreation Complex. The arena is named for former Governor of New Jersey Richard Codey. Essex County Codey Arena is owned and operated by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs.
South Mountain Arena originally opened in 1958 with the second, smaller rink added in 1983. During 2004 and 2005 the arena underwent major renovations that included a new state-of-the-art lobby for the arena including meeting rooms, a skylight, automatic doors, pro shop (now a synthetic ice goaltending training area), arcade, and concession stand. Another part of the renovation was a new set of dasher boards, plexiglass, compression system, jumbotron screen, and seats for Rink 1, as well as a new dehumidifier for Rink 2; it was renamed the Codey Arena upon reopening.
The arena has two NHL-sized skating rinks. The main arena has a seating capacity of 2,500 and the second rink seats approximately 500. From 1986 until the opening of the Prudential Center (which includes a full-size practice rink), the New Jersey Devils used the arena as the team's practice facility. In November 2008 it became home to the Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League. The arena is also home to the New Jersey Daredevils, a special needs hockey team that has practices and home games at the arena since 2002. The Daredevils play in the (SHI) Special Hockey International League. Since 2009, The Daredevils host an annual Halloween hockey tournament in October for all Special Hockey International Teams (including the Daredevils) called Frankenfest. The New Jersey Devils Youth Hockey club is also based at the arena with more than twenty teams from the beginners entry level to the highly competitive AAA USA Hockey Sanctioned level. Most recent additions include the Garden State Speedskating Club for skaters of all ages.
The Essex Skating Club (ESC) is the figure skating club at the arena. The club has more than 300 youth and adult members with winning records at national competitions. A number of coaches at ESC are Worlds and Olympic medalists such as Kay Barsdell, Oleg Bliakhman, Ken Foster and JoJo Starbuck. The Skyliners are youth synchronized skating teams with winning records including regional champions and medals at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. The Essex Blades is an adult synchronized skating team which ranked 6th at the 2011 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Bravo! is a Novice Theatre on Ice team which ranked 4th at the 2011 US National Theatre on Ice Competition. In 2012, Bravo! was selected by US Figure Skating to be one of the two Novice teams to represent the United States at the 2013 Nations Cup in Spain.
