Ice Rink Season Ends Jan. 20

Facility Grosses More Than $50,000 For City In Third Year

Amanda Mandras, right, sits next to her daughter, Tegan Mandras, 13, as they lace up their ice skates Wednesday at The Rink at Lawrence Plaza in downtown Bentonville. The temporary ice skating rink closes Jan. 20.
Amanda Mandras, right, sits next to her daughter, Tegan Mandras, 13, as they lace up their ice skates Wednesday at The Rink at Lawrence Plaza in downtown Bentonville. The temporary ice skating rink closes Jan. 20.

— The Ice Rink at Lawrence Plaza will wrap up its third year Jan. 20 after grossing more than $50,000 for the city.

The rink has drawn 7,746 visitors with more than a week left to skate in a season that featured cooler temperatures than the previous year, according to David Wright, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. The rink opened Nov. 17.

At A Glance

Bentonville Ice Rink

Last day to skate: 2-4:45 p.m. Jan. 20

Skate rental: $5 per session or $3 for visitors with their own skates

Rock N Skate: Every Friday night, 8-9 p.m.

Source: bentonvillear.com

The numbers may be slightly lower than last season, but Wright attributes the downturn to cooler weather and a shorter winter break for students.

“Last year, we had a warm winter where it was just cool enough to skate,” Wright said. “You could come out in a light jacket. It’s been chilly this year. People don’t really want to be outside.”

Despite the cool weather, participation in ice rink programs and services is up. More people have held private parties at the rink, signed up for skate school and purchased season passes than in previous years.

“The revenue has been good,” Wright said.

Cooler temperatures mean less man hours spent rebuilding ice overnight and fewer closed days for melted ice. The city only had to close the rink once this season when temperatures soared into the mid-70s in early December. The rink was closed for two days to rebuild ice.

The final day of skating will follow an ice skating show Jan. 19 by the Arkansas Figure Skating Association. The show will feature skaters of all ages and levels, said coach Jennifer Kelly.

The association also provides skating lessons at the Bentonville rink and the ice rink at the Jones Center in Springdale. Kelly said she enjoys spending time at the Bentonville rink.

“We love the rink,” she said. “It’s a totally different atmosphere being outdoors.”

The skating show is set for 10:30 to 11 a.m. and is free to the public.

The rink opened November 2010 and is a permanent feature at Lawrence Plaza on Northeast A Street. The concrete pad turns into a splash park in the summer with more than 80 fountain jets, according to the city’s website.

The city offers programming to add to the winter atmosphere at the ice rink. “Movie Night at the Rink” ran from November through late December with families in lawn chairs sipping hot chocolate and watching holiday favorites on a blow-up screen.

Wright said residents have embraced Lawrence Plaza the three years it has been open.

“It’s a neat amenity, a unique feature to have in Bentonville just a couple of blocks off the square,” Wright said. “It’s refreshing to all of us who worked hard to build it to see how many people enjoy it.”

Upcoming Events