Cambridge will soon have a permanent Olympic-sized ice rink instead of the seasonal fixture in Parker’s Piece, which will allow for speed and figure skating, curling, ice dancing, and ice hockey, as well as recreational skating.

This project has been under discussion since 1997, and should be finalised by the end of the month, when city recreation chiefs – who have supported Cambridge on Ice for three years – will decide on whether to go ahead with the plans.

Contributions from developers have already been announced. Millionaire alumnus David Gattiker has donated more than £1 million to the project. The Canadian businessman was captain of the Cambridge University ice hockey team in the 1930s.

Professor Bill Harris, the university ice hockey coach and chairman of the charitable company Cambridge Leisure and Ice Centre, told Varsity: “I am absolutely delighted that the city authorities have been so supportive for this much needed town and gown project.”

Mr. Harris has claimed that overwhelming demand exists in the community for an ice rink: “the people of Cambridge love skating”. It also means greater support for “the development of potential ice hockey players of all ages throughout the community and possibly a professional team”.

According to their website, ‘ICEntre’, the £11 million building has already been designed by architects at Populous, who have built other sports venues around the world.

Designed to be integrated into the landscape, the 'Icentre' will rise out of the ground with a grass roof of renewable materials to create as low a carbon footprint as possible.

The centre will include a laboratory for scientific study of ice-cores collected by the British Antarctic Survey and a polar exhibition area as an educational resource for visiting school groups.

As well as ice hockey, it is suggested that the rink will be an outlet for multiple sports. The website explains that the rink “can be covered to allow for other sports like basketball, tennis, football, badminton and indoor cricket”, and be used for “conferences, trade fairs, concerts and exams”.

The proposed location of the ice centre is on the city outskirts in North West Cambridge, to provide access to people in the surrounding areas. It will be within cycling distance of the city centre. However Julie Smith, Cambridge City Council’s arts and recreation chief, told Cambridge News that the exact location is “to be confirmed”.