Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Ocala's Downtown Ice Skating Rink






A few years ago, the city of Ocala sponsored a "real" ice-skating rink in an air-conditioned tent near the downtown area. It was great and big enough for adults to enjoy also. But it was expensive to keep real ice icy in our warm weather, and the rink was shut down.

Now the city has come up with a skating rink using faux ice (works better in 86 F degree weather). The rink is only open at certain times and was closed when we came by. It's very small, though, so serves mostly younger children. But they have fun skating on it.

I've never skated on this faux ice so have no clue what it feels like. The rink will come down soon as we leave the holidays behind.

14 comments:

orvokki said...

Looks wonderful place to do skating.
Wish you a Merry Christmas.

Kate said...

Oh I hope that the faux ice works well so the kiddies can learn how to skate!

Taken For Granted said...

Didn't know that faux ice even existed. Wonder how it compares to the real thing? Many towns have indoor ice skating arenas, but they are expensive to operate.

Sharon said...

I've only seen one of these faux ice rinks before and there were people skating on it at the time. I remember that it sounded so quiet compared to real ice.

Linda said...

We haven't had any snow here in Montreal so we will be having a green Christmas this year, which is almost unheard of! We do have some indoor rinks, but many Quebecers prefer the outdoor ones, and they love to ski, too, but with no snow....

This is great, Lowell! I love to watch skaters and the figure skating, I find it very relaxing. :)

Kay said...

Faux ice? I guess it kinda goes with the other Florida faux.

Francisco Manuel Carrajola Oliveira said...

Um belo rinque de patinagem.
Um abraço e BOAS FESTAS.

EG CameraGirl said...

Although our temperatures are not in the mid 80s now, it has been an expensive year for outdoor rinks here too. Who woulda thunk it?

VP said...

An ice rink in Florida... and a very nice one!

Karl said...

Faux ice? What is that? :)
Like the decorations.

Small City Scenes said...

Faux ice? What is it? I love to ice skate---met my first boyfriend on the rink.
We aren't having sunny days but we do have sunny smiles.
MB

Pat said...

I never realized there was such a thing as faux-ice.

cieldequimper said...

The skating rink here is faux too... Yours is suspiciously empty!

William Kendall said...

Faux ice is a new term to me!

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson