Holliday Park opens first outdoor ice skating rink

INDIANAPOLIS — When Hoosiers think of Holliday Park, they usually think of fall foliage.

“Holliday Park is obviously a great community asset. Really busy during the warmer months,” Adam Barnes, Executive Director of the Holliday Park Foundation said.

Now signs show this outdoor ice-skating rink sits ready for you to skate on.

“We had to put up a lot of signage out here, as we were building the rink the last couple of weeks," Barnes said. "People wanting to know what was going on and what was coming, and it was really cool.”

It’s the first year Holliday Park has opened its own ice-skating rink and it's a first for Barnes, the Holliday Park Foundation team and the community.

“We told them yeah; it’s going to be an outdoor ice-skating rink. That response was overwhelmingly positive and ‘where can I learn more? And how do I sign up? And where do I get tickets?” and all that sort of good thing,” Barnes said.

Now the hype is spreading around town and it’s getting people to lace up the shoes and cut the ice. For some, it’s even their first time ice skating.

“So many of us that grew up in Indianapolis, a lot of times it just kind of shuts down," Barnes said. "It’s ok, it’s cold outside, we’re just going to hunker down until the warm weather comes back and I think this is a great chance to push yourself out of your comfort zone a little bit and come out here and try something new."

There’s lots of space if you’re new to the sport. It’s two-thirds the size of an NHL rink.

“You don’t have to be great at it you know but learn a little bit. We’re doing skating lessons as well. We’re partnering with the Winter Club of Indianapolis. So, if you try it and you’re into it and want to get better, we’re going to offer those opportunities as well,” Barnes said.

It took this team two weeks to get the first outdoor refrigerated ice-skating rink in Indy together. Now the fresh ice brings a winter feel to the city in Fall.

It’s a frozen delight that’s fresh in time for some Holliday fun.

"We’re just excited to offer something new to the community and any revenue/proceeds that we are able to make from the rink, go right back to the Holliday Park Foundation to support the education programs and maintenance and upkeep and helping to keep Holiday Park a wonderful place for everybody year-round," Barnes said.

Tickets for the Holliday Park ice-skating rink cost thirteen dollars per skater and that includes skate rentals. The rink is open every day except for Christmas Day through the end of January.

They’ll have food and drinks available for people to also buy. On Friday and Saturday night’s they’ll have wine and beer trucks there, for people who are twenty-one and older.

For more information visit, HollidayPark.org.