Final touches being made for Tucson Holiday Ice opening day

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TUCSON, Arizona (KOLD News 13) – Chillers are on and the Tucson Holiday Ice Rink will be ready before opening day on Saturday, November 20th.

The City of Tucson, Rio Nuevo and the Tucson Convention Center are working together for the first time since 2019 after the event was canceled last year due to COVID-19. That year, Greg Jackson, associate director of the Tucson Parks and Recreation Department, said you can expect all the fun, but in a different location for more space.

“The space we used in 2019 was pretty tight and we know that with COVID we want more space to spread out, so let’s try this new location on Church Avenue in front of the Tucson Convention Center,” said Jackson.

Another change this year is the number of ice skates provided and the number of skaters allowed on the ice. More ice skates in child sizes up to size 15 have been bought to allow for increased hygiene measures and to ensure that the skaters always have a fresh pair.

The work teams were busy providing the skaters with an icy rink despite the high temperatures.

“We had to build a completely flat deck, then put a layer of insulation in it, put plastic in to hold the water in, and then put some aluminum pipes in there,” Jackson said. “We run glycol through these pipes at around 15-20 degrees so that when we start adding water it will form the ice and hold the ice, even if it’s 80 degrees outside.”

Session times have also been implemented to counteract long lines and waiting times.

“We’re selling 90-minute sessions so you can buy tickets in advance,” said Jackson. “The meetings start on weekdays at 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The weekend sessions start at 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 20:00. “

Jackson said tickets are on sale at the gate but warns that they could sell out quickly. He said that when every ticket was sold out, around 190 skaters would be allowed on the ice. Tickets are $ 17 for adults and $ 12 for children under 12. Skate assists can be rented for $ 5. Appointments can be made on the city’s website.

“Socks are a must. We recommend gloves. We’ll have a food truck on site so you can spend a few hours and enjoy it, ”said Jackson.

The ice rink will be in operation from Saturday to January 9th.

Copyright 2021 KOLD News 13. All rights reserved.

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