On December 13, 2021, the Matthew and Daniel Barton Memorial Hockey Rink opened for self-directed play and use. The rink was built 20 years ago in honor of Matthew and Daniel Barton, the sons of Doug and Carol Barton, who tragically lost their lives to disease at a young age. In 2020, the rink was identified as being in need of repair and replacement, leading to a coordinated fundraising effort led by the Barton family and Hanover County Parks and Recreation. The Barton Family raised approximately $20,000, the Doswell Energy Center, located in northern Hanover County, donated an additional $25,000 and the Washington Capitals contributed approximately $100,000 worth of new rink boards, fencing, and skate surfacing. 

Hanover County Parks and Recreation staff removed the existing roller hockey infrastructure and prepared the site for the new materials, equipment, and surfacing. The county also installed new signage, seating, and a scoreboard for the rink. All of the county's associated costs were covered by donations. Additionally, Hanover County was able to identify savings totaling over $25,000 in design and installation costs. Ultimately, a project that cost nearly $200,000 was completed at no cost to Hanover County residents. 

The Barton Family has twice turned what many would have found to be an insurmountable family tragedy into a shining light of service for their community and a great example of partnership between local government and private industry. Hanover County's residents will benefit from this great facility for many years to come. A celebration of this facility is scheduled for May 1, 2022.

If you have any questions, please contact Hanover County Parks and Recreation at (804) 365-7150 or email at [email protected].