Skating Rinks, Ice Castle Set To Welcome 2015
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The bitter blast of cold in Minnesota allowed outdoor ice rinks in Minneapolis to finally open, at least a couple of them.
The rinks in Minneapolis are usually open by the time students are out for winter break. But the mild December weather turned the ice to slush.
The past few, cold, days gave crews time to flood the rinks and get them ready for skaters.
Lake of the Isles opened on Tuesday. North Commons and Logan Park were added to the list on Wednesday.
"I finally saw one open. I was pretty excited. It didn't matter that it was cold out, didn't really bother me," Danny Ries said.
The outdoor rinks in Minneapolis were off limits during the traditional winter break.
"It's nice to be able to go ice skating instead of sitting inside," Franci Haeg said.
But now crews are getting the rinks ready. Three are open so far.
"We're generally filling the low spots, and then we flood and get everything nice and smooth," crew leader Mike Robison said.
Maintenance crews at North Commons put the finishing touches on the hockey rink. About 300 broomball teams had to delay their season by two weeks because the rinks wouldn't stay frozen.
"We rely basically on nature to do this stuff for us, so we have to work with nature hand in hand to get things right," Robinson said.
A group flooded Logan Park for a pick-up game of hockey.
"It's kind of like Christmas morning, it really is. When you love the sport it's fun to get out there and play it at its roots on the outdoor ice," Mike Berger said.
Berger and friends said the bitterly cold weather won't keep them away from their favorite game. In fact, they welcome it.
"The lungs burn and the nose gets really red, and it's always a good time," Berger said. "It's worth the little bit of pain for all the fun."
More rinks will open every day beginning on Friday, until all 22 are open. That should happen by the start of next week.
Also, alert Queen Elsa that she may be able to rent space in the Twin Cities. The Eden Prairie Ice Castle is nearly ready to open.
The acre-sized castle is made completely from ice, and is one of only four such castles in the country. It includes tunnels, caverns, archways, and (for Elsa) a frozen throne.
The castle's opening day is set for Friday, Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. It's located at Miller Park in Eden Prairie. More information can be found here. And click here to check if your rink is ready.
