Ice rink installation tomorrow
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ESCANABA -- Visitors to Ludington Park will have the opportunity to skate on an outdoor ice rink this winter.
On Thursday, Iron Sleek, the company that manufactures the portable ice rink selected by Enhance Escanaba, will be in town to install the setup -- a portable, 100-by-50-foot unit that will be disassembled in the off-season.
The site, located between the Karas Bandshell and the tennis courts, has been prepped by the City of Escanaba.
The nonprofit organization Enhance Escanaba -- the party responsible for getting the hydrangea trees on Ludington Street and the walking trail near the waterfront -- began working on an ice rink plan around 2023. The idea was spurred by the fact that for several winters, it didn’t get cold enough to freeze the rink at the Catherine Bonifas Civic Center. Many Escanabans have memories of skating on outdoor rinks at Royce Park and on Stephenson Avenue that no longer exist and wanted to bring the winter activity back.
"Parks are treasured spaces in a community, and the addition of a removable refrigerated ice-skating rink to Ludington Park will make it an even more dynamic space for residents," said Dan Gilmartin, executive director of the Michigan Municipal League. "As Michiganders, we appreciate more than most when we have an opportunity to leave our homes in the long gray months of winter for recreation and a chance to connect with neighbors.”
The model from Iron Sleek was chosen for its portability and accessibility. The refrigerated rink, cooled by glycol chillers, supports ice at temperatures below 50 degrees, so it’s possible the rink could be usable from November to April. The option to enlarge it in the future is available.
“While smaller than a regulation hockey rink, it will be large enough for public skating, complete with walls like a hockey rink and ice chilled with refrigeration technology,” reads Enhance Escanaba’s website.
Though the City of Escanaba was not prepared to contribute funds to the project, they agreed to accept the rink as a gift and carry out maintenance if the nonprofit made the purchase. With that blessing, Enhance Escanaba fundraised, secured matching grants and crowdsourced the necessary $250,000.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) contributed $100,000 through its Public Spaces Community Places (PSCP) program -- which is a collaborative effort betweeen the MEDC, Patronicity and the Michigan Municipal League -- and the Universal Design and Accessibility Funding Extension.
"A refrigerated ice rink built with the principles of Universal Design and Accessibility will allow for seasonal recreation for all, despite the changing temperatures of recent winters," said MEDC Regional Development Managing Director Paula Holtz. "We are pleased to provide resources for this effort through our Public Spaces Community Places program."
After reaching the fundraising goal this summer, Enhance Escanaba, the city and Iron Sleek made arrangements for the park addition.
“Water line was installed a couple of weeks ago, ground leveling is finished, electrical is almost done and cameras will be placed,” shared Karen Moore, Enhance Escanaba president and Escanaba City Council member, on Tuesday.
A ribbon-cutting for the Escanaba ice rink is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Nov. 20.