Ice Skating Returns to Washington Park

By Joey Zocher, Washington Park Director of the Urban Ecology Center
I love it when people stop in and tell me stories about the past. Just the other day someone stopped in with a photo from the early 1900s of the Washington Park lagoon filled with ice skaters. It’s remarkable to see how excited people are when they talk about their memories of skating in Washington Park, and shows how rich this park’s history really is. We are very happy to announce that there will be ice skating again in Washington Park this year! As the word is starting to spread, there are several recurring questions. I thought I could answer for you here. The first most frequently asked question is, “When will the ice be open?” Washington Park’s lagoon is now being treated like those in all the other parks, so once the County Parks staff determine the ice is thick enough, they will announce it on their website: www.countyparks.com.

Will the bathrooms be open?
Our open hours are Tuesday-Friday 4-7pm and Saturdays 9-5pm. The community building is not generally open to the public at other times. So, if you want to join us for a cup of hot chocolate and warm up, come during our open hours!

Are there skates available?
We are happy to include children’s skates in our equipment lending program, thanks to the generosity of Harley Davidson Foundation. In addition, we have several pairs of adult skates that have been donated. The best way to be sure to have the right size is to BYO Skates. If would like to borrow ours, please call in advance to check for sizes. Also, if you have a pair of skates collecting dust in your basement, consider donating them!

If ice skating isn’t your thing, there’s still lots to do in the winter at Washington Park. Stop by any time during open hours to borrow snowshoes, sleds or ice fishing equipment. At our Winterfest on January 30th, you can get a taste for all of these things, as well as try cross country skiing, take a ride on our sleigh, and of course, practice your ice skating. Come inside to warm up with some hot chocolate, then get back outside and play!