Ticonderoga Ice Rink to be winter hot spot

TICONDEROGA | The Ticonderoga Ice Rink is becoming a big thing again. Thanks to proactive people who are visionaries and sentimentalists that see the rink for what it is, an underutilized resource and asset to the town, there has been a renewed interest and the Ticonderoga Rink is next up to see some major improvements that will allow everyone to enjoy it. With the assistance of grants and volunteerism, the rink will be in tip-top condition by the time it opens, which will be — weather depending, of course — by Christmas. "We don't have a lot of large indoor spaces for children to enjoy during the winter months," said PRIDE Executive Director Nicole Green. "The ice-skating rink is something that is going to be good for them physically and mentally because it gets them outside during some of our hardest times of the year for children and for families." The first highly notable and game-changing grant received was from the Adirondack for Kids Grant. Specifically aiming to help children enjoy the Adirondack Region through sports equipment grants, the Ticonderoga Ice Rink has been the lucky recipient of the maximum $2,000 grant, which will provide 40 pairs of ice skates for the community to use at the rink. "When I was substitute teaching, I would ask students about the rink and many either didn't even know it was there or they would tell me they didn't have ice skates," recalled Green, who acquired the grant. With income barriers now taken out of the equation, the rink will be accessible to anyone. "It warms my heart to know that children will be able to use the ink now, whether they own skates or not." Both ice hockey and figure skates will be available, extending from toddler double-bladed training models all the way up through adult sizes, with multiple pairs of the most common sizes ordered. And though everyone would like to believe the best in people, the skates will also sport noticeable decals identifying them as rink property in the event of theft. "Everyone can benefit from this program, and I hope it will encourage more people to stay in town during the winter and enjoy the beautiful Adirondack Park that we have and not have to travel elsewhere to go and ice skate," Green said. A second grant has also been secured, this one from Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance, Ticonderoga receiving $4,000 towards any rink improvement the town wants to make. A plan for the Ticonderoga Skating Rink has also been included in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, with $500,000 that would be allotted to rink improvements in the event Ticonderoga is the recipient of the grant. "The idea is to turn it into a very regional draw to get more business downtown, people visiting Ticonderoga, and to just have another recreational infrastructure for winter," said rink attendant Ash Alexander. Alexander and his family assumed the role of caretakers a few years after they relocated to Ticonderoga and saw that consistent care of the rink at the time had fallen by the wayside. Improvements from the potential $500,000 would include surface work, boards, and an enclosure over the rink to keep the sun off, keep the snow out and keep it warmer inside. More lighting would also be added. "Our long-term vision is to expand the rink, to eventually offer youth hockey and skating lessons and to make it a lynchpin of winter fun for our town in lieu of limited options currently," Greene added. In the meantime, Alexander will be working to acquire a new white liner for the rink. Because there is pavement underneath the rink, despite freezing temperatures, as soon as the sun hits the blacktop, it warms up and melts the ice very quickly. A new liner or rubberized coating would combat this problem greatly and preserve the life and quality of the ice. Community members are also working behind the scenes to raise funds for new hockey walls and benches. "I spent a lot of time on the village green in front of my school in Homer, N.Y., skating on the rink that the local fireman made every year," reflected Alexander about why he felt so passionately about breathing life back in the Ticonderoga rink. "That's part of the reason I enjoy making the rink, fond memories of skating outside when I was younger and creating the same opportunity for others." Visit the "Ticonderoga Ice Rink" Facebook page for rink updates and possible fall volunteer work dates. "I think it's amazing to have free outdoor recreation opportunities in a small community," said an enthusiastic Alexander. "Keep your fingers crossed for a nice, cold winter."

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Ticonderoga Ice Rink to be winter hot spot

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