Photo: Jared Brosnan/WBZ NewsRadio
HINGHAM , Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The South Shore Sports Center is a total loss after a fire destroyed the building Thursday overnight, according to the Hingham Fire Department.
Local firefighters spent hours putting out the flames that left a gaping hole through the roof as well as within the community.
The facility on Recreation Park Drive has been a go-to place to host countless youth soccer, basketball, and baseball teams for the past 25 years.
“We are devastated, but we are not defeated,” Liz Lima, with the Sports Center, said in a statement. “We will rebuild, stronger than ever.” She is also the coach of Select Soccer Club, who operates out of the facility, and said that the club will continue running.
Diana of Cohasset told WBZ NewsRadio she is devastated after learning what happened.
“We have kids that had played here, my nephew plays soccer here,” she said. “It’s really, really sad.”
Ryan shared her sentiment. He works at the Pilgrim Skating Arena next door and said he was shocked seeing the aftermath as he headed into work Friday morning.
“I didn’t really understand how big the fire must have been,” he said.
He added that the space meant a lot to the community because “pretty much everybody in South Shore spent time there.”
The sports complex and ice rink host a joint summer sports camp every year. Pilgrim Skating Arena manager, Jason Joyce, said this year’s camp is up in the air after the fire.
“It’s still very early,” he said. “We’re hopefully trying to figure out something with the program…so they can continue the camp as advertised.”
As the smell of smoke still lingers in the air, local officials and residents said all they can do now is to look ahead to rebuild the place.
Several residents said they hope to see the center back and running soon and that the new building will continue its predecessor’s legacy.
“I think the community really needs a space for sports, so this would be the goal, I think,” Diane said.
Fire officials said the next step of the restoration process is demolishing the lot.
“I’d love to see it still be retained for a sports use around here,” Joyce said. “I think it’s a great facility. A lot of people had a lot of great memories here. If that was to happen that would be the best-case scenario.”
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jared Brosnan (@jaredbrosnanwbz) reports.