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Steamboat Magazine

Time to Glide As Community Outdoor Ice Rinks Open Tuesday

12/04/2020 11:05AM ● By City of Steamboat Springs

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO - Slapshots, spins, combinations and all skate celebrations will soon echo across Howelsen Hill when the two new outdoor ice rinks open to the community on Tuesday, December 8, 2020.

“We’ve had to literally think outside the box, or in this case, rink, for new ways to provide outdoor recreation for the community due to the pandemic,” said Parks & Recreation Director Angela Cosby. “These rinks will provide hours of frozen fun for all ages and we couldn’t be happier to glide into action next week.”

The city turned the summer tennis courts, which lie dormant in winter, into two 100’ x 50’ outdoor ice rinks complete with liners, lines, sideboards and pond hockey goals. String lights, like those on Yampa Street, will be installed in the coming weeks to enhance the evening ambiance.

The new winter venue is expected to be available Tuesday through Sunday from 6:30am to 9:30am and in the evening under court lights from 5pm to 10pm. Rink operations are currently based on when temperatures are cooler during the day and there is no direct sunlight to help preserve ice conditions. Please understand that hours/days may change through the season as well as due to weather and maintenance requirements.

The outdoor rinks are provided to the community for FREE. Public skate, figure skating and hockey can all be accommodated on both sheets. Skate rentals are not provided, and participants must bring their own blades. Due to current health protocols, each rink is limited to 10 users at one time for a total of 20 people inside the gated area and facemasks are required at all times.

“The rinks and hours are not designated for specific ice activities,” commented Recreation Manager Alexis Wolf. “However, we urge users to be courteous and share the ice so everyone can lace up and enjoy this community amenity safely.”

Funding has been raised by community donors through contributions at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. Initial contributors included: Steve and Jen Paoli, Central Park Liquor, HLCC Construction, Space Station Gas, Schmiggity’s, Billo, Elk River Real Estate and Sandy Graves Art. Donations can still be made at steamboatsprings.net/give.