Ice skaters in Pella have a new rink to try out this winter.

City of Pella parks staff, with assistance with local residents and the city’s water department, has flooded out the shelterhouse at Caldwell Park to transform it into an ice-skating rink.

Community Services Director Jeanette Vaughan tells KNIA/KRLS News a group of citizens have wanted a better skating facility during the winter months, and this experimental setup is a trial run to explore more permanent options in the future.

“We had a group of hockey enthusiasts that have been talking to me for the last couple of year, and we decided that this year would be the year to give it a try and see how it goes,” she says.

“We’ve been talking about improvements to Caldwell Park in the budget in recent years, so it just seemed like a good time to try and bring all of this together.”

Open skating hours for the shelterhouse start at 9 a.m. Sunday through Fridays and at noon on Saturdays, and remain open until dusk. Rules are posted on-site, and residents can skate at their own risk. A green flag or board will be posted on days when city parks staff determine the facility is safe for use, and a red flag will indicate potential danger. Caldwell Park’s new rink is expected to stay open as long as weather allows.

The new rink was also opened due in part to the city placing a no-skating sign at Sunken Gardens. Vaughan says the storm detention pond has a constant flow of water, which makes the ice less stable and potentially more dangerous.

Hear more about Ice Skating in the City of Pella on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.