The final days of skating at the ESB Financial Holiday Plaza are now underway through the end of the weekend.
The final stretch of activity for the plaza’s inaugural season kicked off Wednesday with a special community skate hosted by ESB featuring $2 off skate rentals and free pizza for those in attendance. The plaza was full from start to finish, with more than 70 skaters making loops around the rink in the first hour of the event.
105 people in total skated during the event, adding to the more than 1,100 who took advantage of the new holiday amenity in the last month. Kandace Wakeman of ESB Financial, the institution that purchased the rink, says they were not initially sure whether or not the investment would pay off, with it being such a new offering; however, upon seeing the turnout, she believes it was a worthwhile investment that will benefit the community for years to come.
Plans are to erect the holiday plaza every year for the foreseeable future, with the synthetic ice having an estimated 10-year lifespan, making it the latest addition to the continuously growing list of holiday-centered activities in Emporia, something Wakeman says the entire ESB team is very proud of.
Wakeman adds she hopes that the new plaza will be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to more attractions for the community in the future.
Skating at the plaza will continue through Sunday with hours of 5 to 8 pm daily, weather permitting.
