Dennison Ice Rink to hold Halloween Preview Skate

Children can use that extra energy from their trick or treat candy to try out the new Dennison Ice Rink on Oct. 31 from 7-9 p.m. Trick or treat in the village will be held from 5:30-7 p.m., and then children are invited to remain in costume and visit the Dennison Ice Rink for a free preview night.

There will be free skating, skates, hot dogs, pizza, cookies, water and hot chocolate. Specialty coffee by Timi’s Café will be available for purchase.

Sponsors for the event are the Dennison Eagles, Dennison Yard, Mayor Greg DiDonato, Traci Pangrazio, Josh’s Bakery Box, and volunteers from Faith Baptist Church and First National Bank of Dennison.

DiDonato is eager to show off the skating rink to the public at the preview event.

“We just want to showcase what we’ve done,” DiDonato said. “When you look at everything we’ve done, we are very proud of this accomplishment.”

They have five private parties booked already. The project, which used no taxpayer dollars to complete, will officially open for the season on Nov. 24, and the rink will have a 48-by-64-foot area for skating.

At the rink preview, children will be able to try out the rink for a limited time, depending on the amount of people in attendance, so everyone will get a turn.

Though most of the project has been covered through donations and the sale of advertising banners, the village is still accepting donations for some extras.

“We have come to realize we have to do a couple other things,” DiDonato said. “We’re going to need to put a shed there to put the floors in and the new rubber mats because it was a nightmare for us moving them. It won’t be anything fancy.”

The side panels of the rink are light weight and will be able to be moved to another building for storage during the off-season.

The expense of a portable toilet at the rink was already figured in, but it also would be nice to add patio heaters to the site.

Once the rink opens for the season on Nov. 24, the hours of operation will be Thursday through Friday from 5-9 p.m., Saturday from 3-9 p.m. and Sunday from 3-8 p.m. Skating and skate rental costs for up to one hour of skating are $8 for adult skate, $6 for age 5-17, and free for age 4 and under. There also is a family pack skate for $20 for four people, plus $3 per additional family member.

Skates are available to rent for $2. Visitors may bring their own ice skates, but no hockey skates are permitted as they can damage the synthetic surface of the rink.

“Hockey skates will rip the material if they go to stop. We do have a skate sharpener, and that was an expensive machine. That is on the way, but it’s part of the price,” DiDonato said. “If somebody brings their skates, we can sharpen their blades.”

Private parties may be booked at $100 for the first two hours and $50 for each additional hour. Call 740-630-5001 or email dennisonicerink@gmail.com.

DiDonato hopes to arrange for food trucks to park by the rink so visitors can have food and drinks available.

New red winter banners with snowflakes will be hung downtown, and they will coordinate with the advertising banners on the outside of the rink for the colder months. The banners are being made by Bloom’s Printing, and there also will be a selfie spot at the ice rink for photos.

New Christmas decorations will be added downtown including the light poles on the side streets that were never decorated before.

Banner sponsors will get to design their own banner, but they’ll be common themes or borders with snowflakes or ice skates. Lights still need to be installed over the rink, and they will drape over top of it. The lights will remain in place during the summer too.

Cambridge Ice Rink LLC will manage and operate the rink for the village.

“This really is a great thing for families, but it’s also a great thing for the downtown,” DiDonato said. “If you put this in the park, it’s nice, but the ambience of being downtown is much nicer. You’ve got lights. You’ve got parking. You’ve got streetlights. You’ve got security. You’ve got restaurants. This is where it needs to be.”

DiDonato is looking forward to the positive addition of the skating rink.

“I just think the foot traffic is going to surprise people, and that’s good,” he said. “That’s what a downtown is supposed to be, and the whole of our efforts are being made to make downtown alive again — vibrant, fun and a place that people want to go.”

Visit the Dennison Ice Rink on Facebook.