By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
From toddlers to grandparents, ice skaters of all ages and sizes converged on an outdoor venue that has become a must-see Yukon yuletide destination.
For the third straight year, the Yukon Ice Rink was open for the holidays over six-plus weeks at Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W Vandament.
“We had 7,150 skaters this season, plus friends and family,” said Daria Logoutine, operations manager for the Yukon Ice Rink.
Operated by Express Ice, the outdoor ice-staking rink was again one of Yukon’s hottest spots as part of the Christmas in the Park light festival.
“The lights and the ice rink really complement each other,” Logoutine said. “The lights help the rink, with all the traffic that comes through.
“The rink also complements the lights because there’s not another ice rink in Yukon during the holiday time.”
The Yukon Ice Rink was open Nov. 19 through Jan. 2 next to the north parking lot at Chisholm Trail Park, 500 W Vandament.
Yukon’s third outdoor ice-skating season was an overall success, despite some inclement weather.
“The weather was a little bit challenging this year, especially when all the kids got out of school, and we got hit with the cold front,” Logoutine said. “Attendance was up until we hit the week of Christmas. Whenever we hit the cold front, it leveled out.”
Citing safety concerns, Yukon city officials shut down the outdoor rink for a few days just before Christmas when temperatures dipped into the single digits.
“We saw about the same amount of skaters that we saw last year, but we had harder weather,” Logoutine pointed out. “If we didn’t lose those several days, we would have had an increase.”
A GREAT ATMOSPHERE
The Yukon Ice Rink was the “place to be” for many Yukon-area residents and visitors from other cities and states.
“We have a lot of teenagers come with their friends, and families who bring their little kids,” Logoutine added. “We also have grandparents who bring their grandchildren to come skate.”
The Yukon Ice Rink started working with local schools for the first time on fund-raisers during weekdays while school was in session.
“They came out and skated, and then we sent a percentage of the money back to the schools,” Logoutine said.
The rink’s operations manager shared her appreciation to local businesses who sponsor Yukon’s outdoor skating venue.
“We love being in the community,” Logoutine said. “As a business, we’re based in Edmond, but we love the community of Yukon. The overall atmosphere is really great.”
