Skating into Saratoga

For some time, downtown Saratoga has had a number of amenities to offer both locals and visitors. If people fancy a warm drink, they can get coffee at one of two locations on Bridge Avenue. That pang of lunchtime hunger can be sated with a diverse choice of restaurants. Shopping is, of course, also available along the downtown stretch.

Beginning November 28, one more attraction will be added to the downtown area; a skating rink.

It's been a number of years since Saratoga has had a skating rink. In the past, those wanting to partake in the winter past time were able to do so on Veterans Island but that was some time ago. In late 2019, the Platte Valley Kiwanis began the process of bringing an ice skating rink back to Saratoga.

"We started talking about it. We just needed a piece of ground, so we went to the rec (recreation) board and then we went to the Town," said Cindy Carnes, a member of the Kiwanis. "Then we went over to the American Legion and they're the ones that gave us the okay to put up our rink over there."

"Over there" means Khe Sanh West Park, nestled between Lollypop's and Studio T Art Gallery. The memorial park appears to be just the right size for what Kiwanis had in mind and, fortunately, doesn't require any major earthwork or alterations to the area. What the Kiwanis have invested in is a portable ice rink, which will allow the rink to be set up in the winter months and taken down when spring arrives.

The process of setting up the portable rink appears to be more time intensive, though there is some labor involved. A series of interlocking plastic panels creates the border for the ice skating rink which is then lined with a bladder to hold water. 

A lot of water.

On November 18, the Saratoga Volunteer Fire Department helped the Platte Valley Kiwanis by filling the rink with water. It took multiple trips with one fire truck, which holds approximately 2,000 gallons. According to Carnes, about 6,300 gallons of water was used to fill the rink.

With the unseasonably warm weather that the Valley has been experiencing, however, what is supposed to be an ice skating rink looks a little closer to a wading pool. There is hope that, by the time of the grand opening, there will be enough cold weather to freeze the water.

Though the Platte Valley Kiwanis are the main sponsors of this project, one of the first major projects in recent years, Carnes notes that it took some funding from outside sources to be able to make it happen.

"The Platte Valley Kiwanis is a chapter of the Rocky Mountain Kiwanis and they have a foundation where you can apply for grants. So, I did and we received a grant from them," Carnes said. "Sinclair (Sinclair Oil Company), I applied for a grant from them (and) was denied the first time because we didn't really have anything to show them. We hadn't bought anything and we didn't really know where we were going to go. So, the first time we didn't get it and, then, the second time the Kiwanis had already bought the rink and so then I applied for a grant with Sinclair and got a grant from them."

Probably the most generous of the donations that the Platte Valley Kiwanis received came from Bridge Street Bargains who not only donated money to the project but, along with the recreation department, donated ice skates for use on the rink. Many of those skates are children sized and will be offered to kids during the grand opening.

Once the skating rink is "officially" open for business, Carnes says it will be "skate at your own risk". It is encouraged that large crowds don't gather in the small area and that, while there, they wear a mask. In the likely case of a bathroom break while at the park, people are asked to use the public restrooms in the municipal parking lot behind the Wolf Hotel.

While skates will be offered to people during the grand opening, there will also be a bin at the rink with the donated skates that people can use if they do not have a pair of their own. Additionally, during the grand opening, the Platte Valley Kiwanis will have gift certificates to give away for the purchase of skates.

Platte Valley Kiwanis is excited about this new project, though they ask that people be patient with them as they may tweak some things here or there as it is the first year using the portable rink.

"We like the location because parents can bring them (children) downtown if they wanted to do some local shopping," said Carnes. "That's why we tried to incorporate it on Small Business Saturday."

The Platte Valley Kiwanis will hold the Grand Opening of the portable ice skating rink from 11 a.m. to noon on November 28 at Khe Sanh Park West in Saratoga.