The UNMC outdoor ice skating rink will open Friday, Nov. 29 and remain open through Sunday, Feb. 2.
The outdoor rink, which is open to the public, is located just east of 42nd Street, midway between Emile Street and Dewey Avenue on the north side of the Sorrell Center. Admission is $5, which includes skates (cash or credit card only — no checks or debit cards).
William Lawlor, assistant vice chancellor for business and finance, noted that the public admission rate has been lowered by $2 this year.
As in the past, students, faculty and staff at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine, as well as family members, can skate for free. In addition, Lawlor said the same offer applies to all other University of Nebraska campuses, including the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska at Kearney, as well as Clarkson College. All students, faculty and staff will have to show their IDs to skate for free.
In addition, free skating also will be available to families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, Lawlor said.
Open skating hours will be:
- Mondays: CLOSED
- Tuesdays – Thursdays: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Fridays & Saturdays: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sundays: 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Note: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, UNMC intramural broomball and curling leagues will be held at the rink.
Open skating hours will be extended during the students’ holiday break (Dec. 16 – Jan. 5):
- Sundays-Thursdays: 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Fridays & Saturdays: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Christmas Eve: open 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Christmas Day: CLOSED
- New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day: Open regular hours (11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
“We are really proud of our ice rink,” Lawlor said. “We think it’s the best outdoor skating rink in the city, and we want people to come out and use it. It’s a perfect way for families to go outdoors, get some exercise and enjoy a fun winter activity.
“We will be open for just over nine weeks this year. Our commitment is to keep the rink open as many days as we possibly can. We want people to come out and discover what a hidden gem the UNMC Ice Rink really is.”
Lawlor said the ice rink will only close when the air temperature is zero degrees Fahrenheit or below. The rink will remain open if the air temperature is above zero degrees, but the wind chill temperature is below zero.
The public is asked to first check to see if the rink is open by going to Facebook or by calling (402) 559-0697.
Free parking is available in Lot 15 (surface lot on 40th Street between Dewey Avenue and Emile Street) located on the north and east sides of the UNMC Center for Healthy Living.
This year, the 24-hour UNMC Skate-a-thon for Parkinson’s will begin on Friday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. and end Saturday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. It will mark the 10th consecutive year that UNMC has hosted the 24-hour event that raises money for Parkinson’s research at UNMC and assists families dealing with Parkinson’s.
More details will soon be available at the website for Parkinson’s Nebraska, the lead organization on the event.
For more information about the UNMC Ice Rink, go to the website or contact Candace Peteler by email or by calling (402) 559-5192.
Woohoo!