The first ever winter skating rink is coming to Redwood City.
The synthetic ice skating rink will likely land in around Nov. 18, and will stay open for approximately two months into January, according to Parks and Recreation Director Chris Beth.
Though some of the logistics are still being nailed down, Beth said he expects that the rink will stay open seven days a week in order to draw residents to visit downtown during the holiday season.
"We are happy that we are moving forward and that this will be a reality," said Beth.
The installation of the rink is in part possible due to sponsorships of local businesses, such as the , that have contributed to covering some of the cost.
"There are a number of local businesses stepping up to help get this going because they want a winter attraction downtown," said Beth.
He said he expects that it will cost skaters about $10 per hour to spend time on the ice, and that skates are available for rent with the cost of admission.
Beth said the pricing will be competitive with other Bay Area cities such as San Jose or Walnut Creek that offer skating rinks to residents for about $12 per hour.
To avoid the high cost of installing infrastructure necessary to maintain a rink for real ice, the city has opted to install a synthetic ice rink instead.
But Beth said that fans of traditional skating will not be disappointed.
"What's really cool is that you can use real ice skates," said Beth.
He said the synthetic ice that will be used in Redwood City is the same kind that can be found in remote rinks such as the Ice Capades, shopping malls or cruise ships.
The rink will be available for businesses and schools to rent out privately for occasions or field trips as well, he said.
The rink may be open for events other than purely skating, such as hockey, during limited time periods too, said Beth.
He said it is likely that between 75 and 100 people will be allowed on the rink at once.
The rink is expected to be open from about 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday the rink will likely be open from noon until 11 p.m. and on Sunday from about noon until 8 p.m., said Beth.
More definite details about the dates the rink will be open, the hours of operation, and cost to skate will be released over the coming weeks, said Beth.
Vice Mayor Alicia Aguirre first announced that the Redwood City would be installing a rink downtown at the final city sponsored concert of the season on Oct. 7.
But Beth said the city needed to hammer out final details with the insurance company that assisted in making the opening of the rink a reality before confirming the announcement.
Any local businesses interested in purchasing a sponsorship of the rink are encouraged to contact Chris Beth via e-mail.
