PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One month from now, Portlanders can channel their inner figure skater at the outdoor ice-skating rink that’s opening in the downtown area.
The rink was teased on Wednesday morning, when officials met at Pioneer Courthouse Square for the Central City Holiday Season Kickoff.
The Lloyd Center already holds an indoor rink that’s open throughout the year, but the new space will offer a different experience to families who want to take full advantage of winter weather.
Portland’s Winter Ice Rink was dreamt up by Prosper Portland’s Office of Events & Film, along with the Woodsy Winter Village that will serve as a festive activities hub through January of next year.
Shawn Uhlman, the urban development agency’s spokesperson, told KOIN 6 the team has been preparing for the ice rink “in earnest” over the past four months.
Prosper Portland considered multiple sites for the ice rink, but in the end, they chose the west end of the Morrison Bridgehead. According to Uhlman, this was an ideal location because it allowed the agency to partner with the Parks and Recreation Department while boosting the downtown area.
“This is really a seasonal effort to just add to the activation that’s happening in the central city [and] encourage folks to come down, shop, skate, enjoy the central city,” he said. “I’m thrilled that we’re in a position where we’re able to really advance this and bring it forward for folks and it can accommodate more than 100 skaters that are in a session, so that’s really exciting.”
A nationally-known portable skating rink company, Ice-America will start building the rink after the Thanksgiving holiday.
Construction should be complete by Friday, Dec. 15, ahead of the rink’s grand opening slated for Saturday, Dec. 16.
Ice-America will also conduct maintenance on the rink until it closes on Sunday, Jan. 28.
