News and Public Media for North Central Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Gainesville ice skating rink postponed for third time

Don't lace up those ice skates today. The opening of Gainesville's ice skating rink has been delayed, again.

The Plaza Ice Palace in Bo Diddley Community Plaza was supposed to open at 4 p.m. Monday. But over the weekend an installation crew discovered that hundreds of chiller lines used to freeze the ice needed repairs, according to a City of Gainesville press release.

A new opening date has not been set. The date has been postponed three times: The rink was originally scheduled to open on Nov. 23, but the date was changed to Nov. 30 and then to Dec. 3.

Because of the delay, Midwest Display Inc., the company providing the ice rink, pledged to provide three days of free skating on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The company will honor its pledge on the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after the rink opens.

The rink, once opened, is scheduled to open from 4 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends until Jan. 13. One hour of skating will cost $10 per person, including skate rental, or $7 per person for those with their own ice skates.

Mina is a reporter who can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.