Mat-Su has lots of options for Valley skaters, both inside and out

MAT-SU — The thought of outdoor ice skating paints sort of a Rockwellian image.

Crisp temperatures, sparkling lights, contagious laughter — elements composer Robert B. Smith probably had in mind when he penned the lyrics to “Winter Wonderland.”

All said makes for a memorable experience — especially for families. But it’s not something that can only be found at Rockefeller Center.

It’s a winter time activity that can be enjoyed in the Mat-Su Valley.

Each year, the city of Wasilla takes a piece of Wasilla Lake — the portion of the mid-town hot-spot closest to the intersection of the Parks Highway and Crusey Street — and creates an outdoor skating rink.

“It’s probably close to an acre, give or take,” Tony Leoni, a public works supervisor for the city of Wasilla, said earlier this month. “It usually starts out bigger, but still, it’s pretty darn large.”

Leoni said the rink is plowed and maintained regularly, and the area is decorated with flood lighting and Christmas lights.

“We’re trying to make Lakeside Park a more visual place this year; more fun to look at,” Leoni said.

Leoni said the city normally waits until the depth of the ice on Wasilla Lake is at 11 inches before the rink is opened. It’s a number Leoni said he and fellow city officials arrived at that number, by one way or another.

“If we can go out there with the pick-up, it’s thick enough for (ice skating),” Leoni said.

The skating rink is plowed regularly, Leoni said, and the city also uses a ‘hot mop’ to smooth the ice. A large piece of burlap, dribbling hot water, is pulled across the ice, and acts sort of like a Zamboni — the machine that is used to smooth the ice of an indoor rink.

Leoni said the city consults the Mat-Su Borough Fire Department for recommendations on ice safety.

“It’s pretty simple, we won’t even plow it until we get at least a foot of ice,” Leoni said. “But 11-12 inches of ice, and we consider it safe.”

The outdoor rink is also something inexpensive the city can provide for the community.

“It’s a cheap thing for us to do,” Leoni said. “It’s a popular, free place to go.”

That’s also attractive to those who use the outdoor rink.

“Ice skating is a fun thing for us to do, and it really doesn’t cost that much,” said Mike Smith, of Anchorage, as he was checking out the facilities of the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex earlier this month.

Smith said his grandchildren live in the Valley, and he takes them to skate at Wasilla Lake during the winter. Now that his grandkids are becoming more interested in ice skating, Smith said, he wants to start bringing them to the indoor rinks on a more regular basis.

“They’re getting bigger, and now they want to do it more,” said Smith, who grew up skating on outdoor ponds in his home state of Minnesota. “They got me back on skates.”

The Valley now has three indoor ice facilities, all of which of times for public skating.

The Brett Memorial Ice Arena —located a 746 E. Bogard Rd. in Wasilla — offers public skating five times per week. The Brett also features ice time for advanced public hockey on Wednesday and novice public hockey on Tuesday.

The Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex — at 1001 S. Mack Dr. in Wasilla — also have public skating five times per week.

The Palmer Ice Arena —located across from Palmer Junior Middle School on 480 E. Cope Industrial Way in Palmer — has time set aside for public skating every day.

Each venue has set fees for public skating.

The city of Wasilla is also opening a second outdoor skating rink this winter.

The rink, located at Wonderland Park in downtown Wasilla, will be available to use once the temperatures stay cold enough for the ice to stay frozen.

The rink, about 75-feet long and 75-feet wide according to Leoni, will hold about three inches of water. Leoni said as soon as it is cold enough for that much water to freeze, the city of Wasilla will put water in the base of the rink.

Leoni said unlike the outdoor rink at Wasilla Lake, the Wonderland Park rink will have public restrooms near by.

The new rink can be used for ice skating or small hockey games, Leoni said, and the facility will be self-policed. The rink is not enclosed, so it is easy for the city to maintain also.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.