The ice rink in Franciscan Square opens | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by Christopher Dacanay Skaters cut their way onto the ice at the Franciscan Square rink on Wednesday.

STEUBENVILLE — Those looking for an outdoor winter activity can hit the ice at the Franciscan Square Rink, which opened for the season Wednesday with some new features.

The rink returns for its second year since being installed as a permanent fixture in November 2023. More than 10,000 skaters visited the rink last year, according to Phil Rook, director of real estate operations at Franciscan University of Steubenville, who was in attendance. when the gates opened on Wednesday.

“He really exceeded expectations last year” Rook said. “This year we’re really excited about the opportunity to continue to build on that.”

The rink will be open from November to February, depending on the weather. Open skating hours are 3:00pm to 9:00pm Wednesday and Thursday, 3:00pm to 10:00pm Friday, 11:00am to 10:00pm Saturday and 12:00pm to 7:00pm Sunday .

All times are subject to change. Party packages and private rink rentals are also available.

Special hours will be offered on holidays. Rook noted that the rink will be open from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day.

Regular admission is $8 for ages 18 and up and $7 for ages 17 and under, while kids 3 and under can skate for free. Skate rentals are available for all sizes for $5.

The rink is supported by numerous sponsors, including title sponsor Trinity Health System.

More information can be accessed at franciscansquare.com/ice-rink, the Franciscan Square Facebook page or by calling the Skate Lodge at (740) 275-8466.

Returning skaters can notice a new addition to the rink: the Igloo, which provides a covered area for friends and family to sit and watch. The Igloo is sponsored by the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, a partnership that Rook said the rink staff is looking forward to.

“We hope to work with them and highlight all the winter events to do in Steubenville, especially the Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort.”

Rook said the Rink’s presence last year was a major boon for restaurants in Franciscan Square — a partnership between Franciscan University and local developers.

Now, Rubi’s Pizza and Grill is ready to serve skaters, as is Jimmy John’s, which opened in April and is now a sponsor of the Rink. The Harp and Habit, which opened in December, has its own “ice rink menu” and will serve guests through a side window facing the ice.

A “Huge Blow” Last year was the implementation of weekly pond hockey, Rook said, adding that the leagues will return in December. The youth league will meet on Saturday, while the adult league – which is sponsored by The Harp and Habit – will meet on Wednesday and Thursday.

Rook said the Rink aspires to expand its school events. Last year, special events were held for Steubenville City Schools and Steubenville Catholic Schools, with Jefferson County Christian School also having an event.

Long before the rink became a permanent fixture in Franciscan Square, the idea for an outdoor rink came from Franciscan University staff as a solution to the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rook said. Seeking to unite students through an activity, the university contracted with a firm to install a temporary ice rink in 2020.

“It was such a hit” Rook said. “Father Dave Pivonka, the (university) president, liked the idea of ​​providing a place where the community, students and families could have outdoor recreation. This is really a community activity of the university.”

Last year, when the permanent rink was built, the patch of pre-existing turf was removed and not replaced after the end of the season. Based on community feedback, Franciscan Square decided to reinstall the turf once the skating season ended, Rook said.

Preparations for Wednesday’s opening began four weeks in advance, Rook said. At that point, the Rink overtook Harp and Habit’s outdoor patio and saw the Skate Lodge lowered by crane, facilitated by Fort Steuben Maintenance and Bowers Contracting.

Soon after, the process of making ice and preparing skates for rent began. Just before the opening of the Ice Rink, Operations Manager Peter Herrmann made a preparatory pass with the ice resurfacing machine.

The first skaters on the ice were 11-year-old twins Lucas and Liviah Cook, who were joined by their older sister Ellie, 12. The three were supervised by their father, Bob Cook, who recalled the kids’ eagerness to start skating again. .

“That’s all I’ve heard for the last three days,” he said.

The Cook kids skated almost every day last winter, Bob Cook said. In December, the children skated for the first time, but since then they have learned new tricks and even participated in pond hockey.

Also skating Wednesday were Franciscan University students Carlos Ramos and Sarah Carpenter, who said they were happy to have ice skating nearby.

Although Ramos isn’t as skilled, he gets along with Carpenter, his girlfriend. Skating at least once or twice a week for the past year, Carpenter said the activity is fun “even when it rains.”

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