Village debuts seasonal ice skating rink
DENNISON (WJER) (Nov. 1, 2023) -Families from the Twin Cities and beyond spent Halloween night trying out the area’s newest wintertime attraction.
Trick-or-treaters got the first chance to skate on the outdoor ice rink in downtown Dennison. Cassy Cunningham of New Philadelphia stood beside the rink with her mother watching sons Paxsten and Brazedyn glide across the ice.
“I think it’s a great thing for our community and the kids to have something to do. I hope that it’s something that they can do year-round.”
The village sold sponsorships, collected donations, and received a couple of grants to pay for the rink that’s being managed by the same company that runs the one in Cambridge. Mayor Greg DiDonato is pleased with the response to the project.
“I think people are looking for something where they have the option to get out of the house, do some activities, and this is really a physical activity as far as exercise, healthy. It’s a clean [activity]. It’s a family [activity], and I think where we put it also makes it a better environment. It’s well-lit. It’s well-maintained. We’re here by our police station.”
He says many groups have booked parties already that opening day is getting pushed up two weeks to next Friday.
“We tell people to pay attention to the Dennison Ice Rink Facebook page because during Christmas [break] when school’s out they’re going to extend the hours, and they will be doing special events – skate with Santa – and then like in January they’re talking about a glow stick night.”
The Dennison Ice Rink will be open on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 9 pm, Saturdays from 3 to 9, and Sundays from 3 to 8 through the end of February. DiDonato expects extended hours over Christmas break and during the Depot’s Polar Express train rides.