As the seasons begin the inevitable transition from fall to winter, many are already anxiously awaiting a popular cold-weather activity - outdoor skating! Elk River has four outdoor skating rinks: Handke Pit, Spectrum Athletic Fields, Mississippi Oaks Park and Riverplace Park.
Elk River Park Maintenance staff hope with Mother Nature’s cooperation, they can start making ice in the next few weeks. However, it’s important for residents to know, to create “nice ice” specific conditions must be present for a particular period of time. As a rule of thumb, at least three consecutive days of nighttime temperatures below 10 degrees and daytime temps not to exceed 20 degrees are needed. Also, there must be 6-8 inches of frost in the ground before the ice making process can begin, because if watering occurs too early, the frost can actually be pulled out of the ground, thus prolonging the process of getting the rink up and running.
Stay tuned for more information on outdoor ice rinks in the coming weeks! Visit the city’s website at ElkRiverMN.gov/OutdoorSkating for rink locations, amenities, and open/closure updates!