‘THE RINK AT ROYAL OAK’ OPENS THIS WEEK
17K people used the facility in its first season
The ice rink in Royal Oak at Centennial Commons downtown park is back for a second season and opens to the public on Friday afternoon.
The 60-by-90-foot rink, named The Rink at Royal Oak, is operated in a partnership with the city, sponsors and event producer Jon Witz, who manages the facility and uses it for his annual three-day Royal Oak Winter Blast events in early February. He also produces the annual Arts, Beats and Eats festival over Labor Day weekend.
“The ice rink has been a great thing and certainly brought Royal Oak families and neighbors from outside the city to experience what Royal Oak has to offer,” said Mayor Michael Fournier. “We learned a lot from our first year last winter … and believe the rink will be even more successful this year.”
Fournier and others will take part in an opening day event at the rink at 3 p.m. Friday and Royal Oak residents can skate free from 3-6 p.m.
After that, DJ Katalist will be on hand until 11 p.m. Skaters and visitors can also get $1 hot chocolate for the day.
New Edge Skating Club will perform at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and Detroit Skating Club will give performances at the same times on Sunday.
Fournier said residents can also skate free on Tuesdays through Christmas.
Other features at the Rink at Royal Oak this season started with its layout.
“The construction of the rink is being done differently so that it doesn’t have any impact on the sod at the park” as it did last year, Fournier said. “It is also drawing in new sponsorships.”
One of the sponsors is M3 Investment Services in Royal Oak. Michael Pesendorf, CEO of the company, said in a statement the rink and related activities bring more visitors to the city.
“The Rink at Royal Oak instantly became one of the best new holiday attractions in downtown Royal Oak” last year, Pesendorf said. “Local residents and visitors from the surrounding communities came out to take advantage of skating in an outdoor rink, making it one of the area’s favorite holiday traditions.”
He touted the ice rink as a perfect spot for families and friends to celebrate the holiday season, and as an attraction that encourages people to support downtown retailers and restaurants.
Aside from the Royal Oak Winter Blast, set for Feb. 2-4, the ice rink last year drew thousands of people, Witz said.
“We saw more than 17,000 people last year,” Witz said. “In general, people flocked to the rink from right before Thanksgiving and right through the holidays.”
Witz said his firm did a survey of about 65 retailers and restaurants after its opening last year.
“Forty of them said the ice rink had a positive impact on their business and they liked it,” he said. “The other 25 said they saw no impact on business but they liked the ice rink.”
Being in the downtown, the rink is within walking distance of dozens of businesses and about 100 feet from a seven-floor city parking deck.
While the rink is open, admission is $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends. Skate rentals are $5. Fournier said the skates being rented this year are an upgrade from last year.
Extra decking was added for the rink this year, and the skate houses have been moved to the west side, opening up the view to the area from Third Street.
“The layout is cleaner, more accessible and more fun,” Witz said, “and we’ve added a heating gazebo.”
There will be large standing fire pits for roasting marshmallows, and two “firehauses” for gathering by the fire. Warming units will be put in place, and the nearby Royal Oak Public Library will be an official warming station during rink hours.
More information is at therinkatroyaloak.com.