Public Ice Skating May Be Coming To Van Andel Arena

Ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle is down for the season, but skaters may soon be able to enjoy the same ice as the Grand Rapids Griffins.

One of my favorite times of the year in downtown Grand Rapids is when there is ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle. It's always a beautiful scene, all the families skating, laughing and smiling, it almost looks like something you would see on TV.

Rosa Parks Circle is where families have been ice skating for years is now under construction and that is keeping the ice skating from continuing this year.

There is some good news for those who want to enjoy ice skating downtown this season. According to WOOD, the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority approved shifting approximately $40,000 in funding for ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle to public ice skating at Van Andel Arena. The DDA also supported moving forward with a rental agreement for the arena. 

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This is exciting news for those who love to ice skate, but also exciting for those Griffins fans who always dreamed of slapping on a pair of skates and going around the arena ice. This new move may also attract some new skaters to the downtown.

The Grand Rapids City Commission is working to put together a skating schedule before the end of the year that will carry into 2022.

There will be a limit on how many skaters are allowed on the ice. Skaters will also be able to rent skates, but if you have your own you are welcome to bring them.

There is an advantage to ice skating at Van Andel Arena because even when the weather is bad or there are high winds, that will have no effect on those skating indoors.

The city will be keeping a close eye on the success of ice skating at Van Andel and if its a success, when skating returns to Rosa Parks Circle next year, ice skating at the arena may also be another option moving forward.

As constructions crews continue to work on rebuilding Rosa Parks Circle, West Michigan will still have a place this winter to enjoy some ice skating in downtown Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena.

This is gonna be fun, I can't wait to take my son.