Westfield Welcome will conduct a grand-opening ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 18 for the first-ever skating season for the Ice Ribbon at Grand Junction Plaza with a live DJ, food and face painters.
The first 90-minute skating session will begin at noon, and five sessions will run throughout the day at 2, 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets, including skate rental, are $10 per session for ages 10 and under and $12 per session for ages 11 and up, not including processing fees. Skate aids will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for no additional fee.
Skating sessions will run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Jan. 13, 2024, excluding Thanksgiving Day. Expanded skating hours will be offered during winter break, and some skate sessions may vary because of special events. The Mayor’s Council on Disabilities and the Westfield Special Education Parent Advisory Council have shared input to create sensory-friendly activities.
The 8,300 square-foot Ice Ribbon will be installed in the northwest corner of Grand Junction Plaza near the intersection of Jersey and Mill streets. It will include a larger rink-type skating area and a narrower loop or “ribbon” constructed of Glice Eco-Rinks synthetic sheets.
“This will be a unique amenity to the area,” Westfield Welcome Director Kayla Arnold said. “Unlike real ice rinks, this is Glice synthetic ice, which is more environmentally friendly and doesn’t have the challenges that warm temperatures can bring.”
Glice requires no water to freeze, so it uses no energy and creates no carbon emissions. A nonprofit called Plant for the Planet will plant one tree for every Glice sheet installed.
Parking will be available west of Park Street and Poplar Boulevard in two parking lots and in designated on-street spots on Jersey, Mill and Park streets.
Tickets can be purchased at theiceatgrandjunction.com. The city will hire several seasonal, part-time employees for Ice Ribbon operations. More information can be found at tinyurl.com/westfieldemployment.
Skate Times:
- Thursdays: 4-5:30 p.m.; 6-7:30 p.m.
- Fridays: 4-5:30 p.m.; 6-7:30 p.m.; 8-9:30 p.m.
- Saturdays: Noon-1:30 p.m.; 2-3:30 p.m.; 4-5:30 p.m.; 6-7:30 p.m.; 8-9:30 p.m.
