SCHUYLER FALLS — Ice skaters and pond hockey players will have a new rink to toil on this winter in Schuyler Falls.
Actually, it’s an old rink, returning to where it once was.
Two years ago, the town set up an outdoor skating rink in the new River Street Park at the end of River Street near the former LaDue Street neighborhood.
But concerns about maintenance and vandalism have caused the town to relocate the outdoor rink to the Town Hall property on Mason Street where it used to be in the 1980s and 1990s.
“The access to water makes it easier on us here, and an ability to keep an eye on the property. People have gone down and smashed beer bottles inside the futsal court, and we can’t have that,” Sam Campbell, town recreation director, said.
On two separate instances, broken beer bottles have been found smashed on the River Street ice rink.
“That location is out of view and there isn’t much traffic, but there are people here on and off the property fairly often so people are less apt to do something like that,” Campbell said.
The futsal court, used for the ice rink at the park, is fenced in while the town hall rink is more open.
“This location is more wide open, which worked out a little better for us,” Campbell said.
“The rink in the futsal court its all fenced in and that makes snow removal difficult.”
The ice rink at River Street park officially opened January 2022 as part of a planned four-season community center. When it wasn’t being used as an ice rink, it is a futsal court for a form of soccer.
The ice rink at the town hall is on the basketball court adjacent to the main building.
There are plans to erect new flood lights for the property, but it is not definite, however it seems certain the ice rink will not return to River Street Park.
“We will probably not go back to the other location,” Campbell said.
“Realistically it doesn’t seem viable to go back.”