The Rink at PPG Place in Pittsburgh opens for a 20th season
It’s 2020 for the The Rink at PPG Place.
It opens at 11 a.m. for its 20th season on Friday on what would have been Light Up Night.
The pandemic halted the annual kick-off event to the holiday season. But gliding on outdoor ice is still happening.
“We are glad to be able to give people something to do, something that is fun,” said Andre “Andy” Sanders, general manager for the rink operated by Magic Ice USA, based in Florida. “This is our premier rink. This is definitely our baby. We love to showcase this rink.”
The standard protocols for the pandemic are in place: Temperature checks and standing 6 feet apart while waiting in line. Masks are required, even while skating, but not when eating at the snack bar.
Ticketing will be done online to control crowd size. They can be purchased here. Timed sessions will be in one hour and 45 minute intervals.
Building the rink took about a month beginning with plywood, which was covered with mats. Two trenches underneath the surface have pipes filled with coolant. Sprinklers spray water, which freezes on the surface.
The 73-foot high Christmas tree that sits in the middle of the rink arrived Saturday. The 144 glass plates that form the walls around the outside and inside the rink were installed Monday.
The rink is larger than the one in Rockefeller Center in New York City, according to its website, and two-thirds the size of a National Hockey League rink. It takes up 13,450 square feet of space, Sanders said.
The rink opened in December 2001 and was replaced with a larger surface in 2015. The $1 million ice rink is 116 feet by 116 feet, which is 25% bigger than the one it replaced.
Located in PPG Plaza between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, the rink is planned to be open through March 1.
Pittsburgh was one of the first outdoor rinks for Magic Ice USA, which manages rinks across the country.
The usual annual happenings — such as the annual Princess, Superhero and Skate with former Pittsburgh Penguin Phil Bourque — have yet to be determined. A Valentine’s Day skate will be held Feb. 14.
Admission is $11 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under and $10 for seniors and military. Skate rental is $5.
The rink will be open seven days a week.
Magic Ice USA’s president Byron Sharp said he and his team have taken all the necessary requirements to open safely.
“We look forward to a safe and fun holiday season of outdoor ice skating for the Pittsburgh community to enjoy,” Sharp said.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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