“Hearts shall dance once again; when canvas of ice is painted with the brush of skates.”
-Shah Asad Rizvi
One of the most serene images of winter is that of a figure skater gliding across a pond, with seemingly effortless grace. Most among us who have ever laced up a pair of skates know, however, that “effortless” is one thing ice skating is not! In fact, ice skating works many muscles that we don’t tend to use in regular daily activities, especially the smaller stabilizing muscles around our ankles, knees and hips. Because of this, ice skating is great for improving joint flexibility while also being less stressful to the joints, as it is a low-impact activity. For more information about the health benefits of ice skating, visit smskatingrink.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-ice-skating/
Locally, the best places for ice skating are at one of the many private schools throughout the region who offer family friendly and adult only public skating times at their state-of-the-art facilities.
In conjunction with the Salisbury Recreation Commission, The Hotchkiss School offers public ice skating at The Dwyer Rink, Saturdays from 11:00am-12:30pm for the low cost of $3 per person. They also offer skate sharpening! For more information about the program, visit http://salisburyct.us/recreation/familyprograms/skating.
The Salisbury School also offers a public ice skating at The Rudd Rink. See their website for dates and times, or call 860-4358-5700.
In Sheffield, Massachusetts, you can find public skating at the Berkshire Boarding & Day School’s Jackman L. Stewart Athletic Center. 413-229-8511.
In Millbrook, New York, ice skaters are invited to the Bontecou Rink at the Millbrook School.
For those who want to enjoy outdoor ice skating, Lakeville, Connecticut offers Factory Pond. Important to remember about outdoor skating is the rule that grey ice is not safe. At Factory Pond, skaters will find signs alerting them as to whether or not skating is permitted on a given day.
