Ice skating rink opening nears at Maytag Park

The ground is ready and water started filling the new ice skating rink at Maytag Park on Wednesday. While it will take about a week for it to be ready, weather permitting, community members are already excited about the new addition.

“We’ve had several people tell us that they bought skates for their kids or themselves on Christmas,” administrative park superintendent Nathan Unsworth said.

City park employees started working on the rink in November, putting the walls up at its southwest corner location at the park. As the temperatures began to cooperate the last several weeks to freeze the ground, crews were finally able to place the lining and begin filling it with water.

“We hope it will fill in a day or two. I don’t know if we’ll fill it up all the way on the first day and see if it starts to freeze and then add more. It is going to be kind of experimental this first year,” Unsworth said. “Hopefully it should be filled and ready to freeze after we get through the next couple of days when it gets cold again. We’re hoping by next week, if we have a cold snap, that it will be ready to open it.”

Local forecasts call for sub-freezing temps throughout the weekend as well as possible snow and rain. Unsworth said should there be snow and ice, crews would have to do some work on the rink before it can open.

A system has been put into place to let potential skaters know if the ice is ready and the rink is open. There is a stop sign that is placed by the rink, and when open, indicates that there is to be no skating. If the stop sign is folded up, skaters are free to enjoy the rink.

Unsworth said that currently he does not know of any local retailer selling ice skates, but said that even if skates are unavailable, it could still be fun to “skate” around in shoes.

The skating rink was originally a project of the Friends of Newton Parks, which fundraised and purchased the rink last year. The group raised around $500 at its Breakfast with Santa event and with additional funds donated by citizens, the rink was purchased for approximately $4,500 from NiceRink based in Wisconsin.

A temporary, above ground rink, it is approximately 50 to 60 feet wide and 90 feet long. It can hold about 40 to 50 people at one time.

The parks department will maintain the rink and clear it following any snowfall.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com