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| When: | Tuesday, December 6, 2011 04:30 PM - 05:30 PM |
| Where: | Cal Anderson along Nagle Place |
| What: |
More info: http://www.capitolhillicerink.com/ Updated info: The ice rink at Cal Anderson Park is opening December 6 and in honor of this new skating rink the first 100 visitors will receive a free hour of skating during the 4 p.m. hour! And there will be free hot chocolate and candy canes offered at the Cal Anderson shelter house! Mayor Mike McGinn will also be there to help celebrate the opening of the ice rink with a special ceremony and ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. "Please join us for a very special Winter event - the opening of the Cal Anderson Park Ice Skating Rink - this Tuesday, December 6th at 4:30pm. Special guests include the Northwest School's A Capella Choir and City of Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn. Join us to celebrate the beginning of the Holiday season and the beginning of a new Capitol Hill tradition. Let the Skating begin!" CO-SPONSORED BY CAPITOLHILLSEATTLE.COM Dates of operation: December 6 through 24* Hours of operation: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Cost per hour: $12/adults; $6/children 8 and under (Cost is the same with or without included skate rental) |
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Previous
The "ice" isn't. It's a sheet of polyurethane, slicked down with liquid glycerine to help the skates glide. Sounds ok in theory (ok, who am I kidding, I was highly skeptical), but is horrific in practice.
It looks like the folks with the flat-bladed figure skating style blades weren't doing half badly with the slow lunge-hold-glide movement, but I grew up in hockey skates and am used to digging in and pushing with my back foot, much like a skateboarder. I was suddenly floundering like I'd never set foot on ice in my life. The surface provides nothing for the blade to "bite" if you push off, the glide is gritty and uneven, and since the plastic doesn't yield beneath the blade, the skates don't "track" straight across the rink.
To be fair, I spoke with one of the organizers, and he's not happy with the solution: the city approval process meant getting real ice just couldn't happen this time. They're hoping to have it all ironed out next year.
If you've never skated, by all means, give it a try. You will have no expectations to be frustrated, no muscle memory to fight, and you'll fall down just the same as you would on a pond or an indoor rink. The festive atmosphere, with coffee stand and hotdog cart, music and lights is heart-warming, and this is a commendable community effort.