A newly opened ice rink in Auburn Hills is offering a cold-weather activity to skaters while warming up nearby businesses in the city's developing downtown.
The rink, located at the corner of Auburn and Squirrel roads, was funded by TIFA, a Tax Increment Financing Authority that also relocated an historic log cabin adjacent to the rink, which faces the area's busy frontage.
The natural rink, not a refrigerated type, and the cabin are the centerpiece of a downtown district that's in the works in this Oakland County community of about 20,000 residents.
"We've been working on growing the downtown," says Stephanie Carroll, a spokesperson for the city. "We've been putting our heads together...We've moved our events down there. We've had our concerts and other summer activities there already. We kind of thought 'what can we do in the winter?' We thought the addition of an ice rink downtown would be a great way to get families out to enjoy wintertime activities and also to complement our businesses that are there."
Skaters can grab a hot chocolate or coffee at Nana's Gourmet, stop for a bite to eat or a drink at sports bars such as Stan's Dugout and Duffy's Pub, pick up a sandwich at the newly arrived Subway sandwich shop, or spend more time outdoors on nearby trails.
A barber shop and knitting shop operate out of the log cabin.
"We're hoping to create more there in the future," Carroll says. "And as we continue to develop the downtown we will definitely create more things for people to do."
Source: Stephanie Carroll, coordinator of community relations and legislative affairs, city of Auburn Hills
Writer: Kim North Shine
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