HELENA — The opening of Helena’s Memorial Park ice skating rink was delayed a week from Dec. 21, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, due mainly to Montana's warm start to winter.

MTN News spoke with the Helena Department of Parks & Recreation and a rink patron to learn what skaters can expect when hitting the ice.

Snow showers and the sound of ice skates cutting through ice-filled Memorial Park on Friday during the opening week of Helena’s public outdoor skating rink.

Kait Perrodin, the recreation program manager at the Helena Department of Recreation, explained why the rink’s opening was delayed this year. The rink's opening day can vary depending on what each winter brings weather-wise.

“We always have a dream opening date, but with the weather, if it's in the 40s during the day, it's not conducive to building or maintaining ice, so we have to wait until it's consistently below freezing and getting down into the teens at night. Otherwise, the water seeps into the ground.”

Perrodin says the rink’s goal is to, “Provide a community space that's affordable. It's $2 for children and $3 for adults, including the skate rentals, and you can skate all day. So, we're here to provide some fun and a place for people to gather and enjoy themselves."

The cost of ice skating per session in the U.S. varies, but on average, admission to a rink costs between $5 and $20, costs can increase if skate rental is not included in an admission fee.

Soren Koford brought his family to the rink Friday and appreciates that the city provides everything people need to get on the ice at an affordable price.

“It’s exactly what we need for this to become a hobby; going and getting our own skates would be a bit much, especially with the kid’s feet always growing, so being able to come here for a few bucks to get skates try on multiple sizes cause the feet get pinched, it’s really important and of course, they have the food, snacks, they got the carts and all sorts.”

During January, the rink is normally open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday, but do depend on weather conditions and rink maintenance. Hours of operation beyond January have yet to be announced. Be sure to check the rink’s Facebook pagefor up-to-date information on the facility before heading to the rink.