Dundonald International Ice Bowl was officially opened by the Mayor of Castlereagh, Alderman P. D. Robinson MP on Monday 22nd September 1986. The facility, which is owned and operated by Castlereagh Borough Council was, and remains, the only public Olympic size ice rink in Northern Ireland.
The new ice skating centre of excellence opened with a spectacular display by local figure skaters who were delighted to welcome the new facility to Northern Ireland. On the same day, a £2 million grant from the EU was announced to further develop the centre, creating the Tenpin Bowling Centre in 1987, followed shortly by Indiana Land indoor adventure play world. Dundonald International Ice Bowl has staged a number of world class sporting events, including the AMF Bowling World Cup in 1996 and Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship in 2008, which attracted competitors and visitors from across the world. Numerous ice galas and competitions have seen performances from world class skaters including the legendary Torville and Dean.
The facility is also the training ground to the Belfast Giants and has hosted many major hockey matches.
The centre has helped develop sport at a local level and has produced many British Figure Skating Champions, including Jenna McCorkell, Neil Wilson, Carla Quinn, Edward Alton and Tameron Drake. On the ice, the centre has also encouraged the development of ice hockey and is the home ground to the Castlereagh Spartans, Prowlers, Castlereagh Vixens and Junior Belfast Giants.