Emporia’s newest holiday amenity is now officially open to the public.
After carving up turkey on Thursday, residents flocked to 923 Commercial Street to carve up some ice, synthetic ice to be exact, inside the new ESB Financial Holiday Plaza skating rink. The evening air was filled with holiday music and the rink was packed with skaters getting their first chance to try out the new holiday amenity after months of anticipation.
The 60×40-foot synthetic ice rink was brought to town in partnership by Visit Emporia and the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, and its namesake, ESB Financial. The rink will be open from 5-8 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 10 am to 8 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, now through mid-January, weather permitting.
Organisers also told KVOE News that the rink can accomodate up to 50 people at a time. As KVOE News has recently reported, organisers are planning for the rink to be a permanent holiday amenity for the community for the foreseeable future, as the rink and synthetic ice are expected to have a lifespan of 9-10 years.
Click here for a YouTube Short of the rink’s opening night
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
