Mahoney State Park Introduces Innovative Ice Rink Solution
Visitors to Mahoney State Park experienced a unique treat this holiday season: an ice rink open during unusually warm winter temperatures. The new surface, inaugurated on Christmas Eve, remained operational despite temperatures soaring over 50 degrees, a feat that would have been impossible with the previous setup, according to Michael Townsend, regional superintendent of Venture Parks.
Townsend expressed relief at the rink’s ability to remain open, recalling past frustrations. “I felt a lot of disappointment from customers when our rink would be half melted or three-quarters melted on a Saturday afternoon,” he said. The previous rink’s reliance on outdated technology often led to unexpected closures, causing inconvenience to visitors who made long trips only to find the rink closed due to melting ice.
The outdated system, in place since the rink’s 1998 opening, struggled to maintain ice during Nebraska’s increasingly warm winters. It required extensive use of refrigerants, glycol, and significant power to operate dual compressors, yet these efforts were insufficient on particularly warm days. Townsend emphasized that the new surface is designed to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Beyond weather resilience, the new surface will also extend the skating season. While the previous setup limited skating days to around 70 annually, the new technology allows for roughly 140 days of operation. The rink will now be open from mid-November through mid-April, after which the panels are removed to accommodate spring and summer events at the Activity Center pavilion.
