Mt. Pleasant’s Island Park to regain an outdoor ice-skating rink

Years ago, Mt. Pleasant had an outdoor ice-skating rink for community members to enjoy during the wintertime. Now, it’s coming back.

Located on N. Main Street, the Kaye Bouck Youth Softball Field in Island Park Field #1 will be transformed into a seasonal, open-air ice-skating rink. Once the season is over, the equipment will be stored until next winter so the baseball field can be utilized for summer activities.

Philip Biscorner, Parks and Public Spaces Director for the City of Mt. Pleasant, says they wanted to bring back this feature because there are not many options for outdoor ice skating in the area.

“We don’t have a lot of outdoor activities and the climate that we used to have 15-20 years ago where most people were putting ice rinks in their own backyard. For an outdoor activity, it adds that element without being a special event,” Biscorner says.

He hopes that people will utilize the ice rink to learn how to skate or just come and enjoy each other’s company.

Construction will begin once the temperature is consistently below 32 degrees Fahrenheit as there must be five consecutive days of temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit at night to create the ice rink. Nearby parking and the field's existing lighting offer skaters the opportunity to enjoy extended hours at the ice rink, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

To stay up-to-date on the ice rink's progress, visit mt-pleasant.org or facebook.com/mtpleasantmi.