Skaters came bundled up to stay warm in cold temperatures.
By: Eric Czarnik | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published December 6, 2024
STERLING HEIGHTS – ‘Tis the season to be skating in Sterling Heights.
On Dec. 1, the Dodge Park Ice Rink returned to the Dodge Park Farmers Market Pavilion. And for Sterling Heights Parks and Recreation Director Kyle Langlois, the annual rink reopening is an exciting time.
“It’s really Part 1 of kicking off the winter season and activities in Sterling Heights,” Langlois explained. “It’s opening Dec. 1, and that really is kind of the first sign of the holidays and cold weather … and the change of seasons and different activities for it.”
Earlier this year, the Parks and Recreation Department reported that 21,375 skaters used the ice rink during the 2023-24 winter season. Langlois said the city wants even more people to come to the skating rink, though he said attendance is “weather dependent.”
“Certainly our residents and those in the surrounding communities find the ice rink to be a valuable and viable recreational opportunity throughout the holiday season,” he said. “Twenty-one thousand people in three months of time – that’s a lot of skaters.”
This season, the rink plans to host an assortment of special events, including a Dec. 23 Cocoa with CORE event for Police Department outreach; weekly Glow Stick Nights in January; a Jan. 11 Superhero Day; and a Feb. 14 Date Night followed by a Feb. 15 Princess Day. In addition, Sensory Friendly Sundays will happen 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. on the second Sunday of December, January and February.
Getting the rink ready for the public is no overnight process, Langlois explained. He explained that the city has spent months purchasing supplies and getting staff hired and trained. He also said preparing the ice carries its own challenges – the ice must neither be too warm nor too cold – and added that 20 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for skating.
“Our staff has been hard at work already, some very early mornings,” Langlois said Nov. 25. “It’s pretty much a multiple-week process just to get the ice made and ready for opening day. … It’s a constant monitoring with the ice temperature and the outside temperature. As the weather cools, you got to adjust the chillers.”
And there is the upkeep. Besides using an ice resurfacing vehicle to smooth the ice, parks staff must make sure that any ice that builds up along the surrounding boards gets shaved down, Langlois explained.
“It truly is a seven-day-a-week maintenance plan,” he said.
The rink, located at 40620 Utica Road in Sterling Heights, is normally open – holiday hours excepted – during the winter season noon-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-10 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays.
But according to the city website, the ice rink may close during severe winter snowstorms or ice storms, when the air temperature or wind chill index reaches -15 Fahrenheit or below, or when warmer weather threatens to soften or melt the ice. As a result, people planning to skate should first call (586) 446-2711 in advance to guarantee that the rink will be open.
Langlois added that the city is planning to make future improvements to the current rink setup. For instance, it is exploring ways to block the sun so it doesn’t melt the ice on warmer-weather days.
Rink admission is free for residents who show valid ID, but costs $5 per nonresident. Renting skates costs $4, and sharpening skates costs $5. Payments with Visa, Mastercard or Discover are preferred, though cash will be accepted too.
Learn more by visiting sterlingheights.gov/1650/Dodge-Park-Ice-Rink or by calling (586) 446-2700.