NEW: City of Worcester to Open Public Ice Skating on Common Oval
Monday, October 22, 2012
The rink will open Friday, November 30th, and be run under the management of SMG, the world's largest private management and developing firm, which also manages the DCU Center. The rink will be named the Worcester Common Oval and will be filled with amenities such as piped-in music, skate rentals, lickers, holiday lights and concessions.
“The rink is yet another success story for our Downtown. It will be beautiful and first-class,” said City Manager O’Brien. “I am grateful to those in the community who continue to recognize the potential of our great City and step up time and time again to make things happen.”
As with many endeavors, the opening of the rink is a private-public partnership that has garnered widespread support. Major sponsors and partners have signed on to assist with the financial and operational costs associated with the rink for a four-month period. The lead sponsor is Fallon Community Health Plan. Additional sponsors include Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Polar Beverages, Massachusetts School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, UNUM, Clark University, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Bay State Savings Bank, and University of Massachusetts Medical School.
“Fallon Community Health Plan is thrilled to partner with the City of Worcester to help make the Worcester Common Oval a reality and an exciting new, family-friendly destination for Downtown,” said W. Patrick Hughes, President and CEO of Fallon Community Health Plan. “For 35 years, we’ve called the extraordinary City of Worcester ‘home.’ We have always valued our partnership with the City, especially when we work together to benefit the community.”
As part of the rink’s operations, the Worcester Cultural Coalition, The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Worcester Sharks, Destination Worcester, Worcester Historical Museum, SMG-managed DCU Center, First Night Worcester, Worcester Public Library Foundation, and many others will assist in bringing different programs and activities to the rink and in the park such as exhibitions, skate-a-thons, learn-to-skate clinics, snow-shoeing, and more.
The rink will open on November 30th, as part of the City’s annual Festival of Lights, and be open for Open Skate every weekend in December, January and February, as well as holidays and school vacation weeks. Programming for weekday activities is still being finalized but will include activities such as exhibitions, skate clinics, mom-and-tot lessons and more.
Admission is $2 and skate rentals will be affordably priced. For more information, click here.
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Comments:
Stephen Quist
12:39pm on Monday, October 22, 2012
Someone finally figured out how to run a hose to the oval and actually turn ON the water when the temperatures are below freezing and voila! ICE.............
How many years did it take to come to this conclusion?
The answer would be embarrassing....
Barry O'Brien
10:12am on Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Does anyone proof read these articles? The mayor "abounded?" Amenities include "lickers"? Well, maybe lickers would draw a nice crowd.