City ice rinks expected to be ready for the weekend

By Brandi Makuski

STEVENS POINT – Winter sports enthusiasts can now rejoice.

The downtown ice rink was installed this week, according to Dan Kremer, director of parks, recreation and forestry, but is still in the freezing process. Kremer said city crews on Thursday were preparing to clear it of snow by Friday to ensure it’s ready for weekend visitors.

Crews are also actively flooding the ice rink at Goerke Park and plan to clear it by Friday as well, making both rinks available for skating this weekend.

Other winter recreation areas, including the Iverson Park Winter Sports area and ice rinks at Iverson and Seramur parks, will not open before the holidays, Kremer said. Preparations for those facilities will begin after the weekend and continue into the holiday season.

Kremer said the anticipated snowfall totals are insufficient to open the toboggan and sledding hills at Iverson Park without additional efforts. Staff will begin transporting snow from area parking lots to Iverson Park next week, but the process will be delayed by two staff vacation days on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Our hope is we will be able to open more of those areas after the holidays,” Kremer said.