Temporary public skating opens in Franklin Thursday

The scene in downtown Franklin this holiday season could inspire a Hallmark Channel movie.

People who flock to Youngs Creek Park, bundled up in coats, stocking hats and scarves, can glide on synthetic “ice,” skates flashing underneath twinkling lights. Food trucks offering cups of hot chocolate and other goodies are planned every weekend. Christmas music will serve as the soundtrack of fun family outings.

“It’s another thing our community can come together and do for fun,” said Holly Johnston, Franklin Parks and Recreation community events and program director.

Franklin’s ice skating rink opensThursday , offering another attraction to draw people to the downtown area. People will be able to rent skates or bring their own for open skating, while food trucks, performers and other entertainment make each weekend its own holly, jolly event.

The temporary rink, which features a synthetic surface that makes skating available regardless of the temperature outside, will be open through Dec. 9.

“We’re thankful to get this opportunity, and to see if it works,” Johnston said.

The rink will open at Youngs Creek Park on Thursdays through Sundays through Dec. 10. The rink will be open 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays, then noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 8 p.m. Sundays. Though not open on Thanksgiving, the following day, Nov. 24, will feature extended hours from noon to 10 p.m.

For $5, people can skate for an hour, with the cost covering both admission and skate rental.

“We want it to be affordable to everyone,” Johnston said. “$5 per person is pretty affordable.”

During the weekday, the parks department has offered use of the rink to schools for field trips, Johnston said.

“We have 10 scheduled during the day, with local schools and homeschool groups planning to come out,” she said. “Johnson County Recycling District is sponsoring a craft with all of those kids too.”

The idea for a skating rink has been percolating among local leaders for years. Franklin park officials have tossed around the idea for a temporary ice skating rink to operate in conjunction with the annual holiday lighting for nearly a decade. But the prohibitive cost never fit into the department’s budget, Johnston said.

The situation changed in 2021, when county tourism organization Festival County Indiana announced plans to offer a grant for a local city or town willing to host a temporary ice skating rink.

“Winter is our slowest tourism season, and it is a time when there isn’t as much for residents to do, so we have made it a top priority to work toward adding an attraction and events to the winter season,” said Kenneth Kosky, executive director of Festival Country Indiana, in March. “Our goal is to provide fun for residents and to increase tourism.”

The $50,000 grant will cover the cost to rent a 2,000-square-foot synthetic ice skating rink, a supply of rental skates, and for Anytime Ice Skating to provide a team of four people to staff the rink during the days it will be open. Franklin Parks and Recreation will provide most of the staff, though.

Anytime Ice Skating is an Indiana-based business located in Greencastle that specializes in temporary synthetic ice rinks. Rather than using traditional ice, Anytime makes the rinks out of a high-tech plastic that mimics the feel and slickness of ice. The material is eco-friendly and made from a non-toxic, recyclable acrylic material.

Anytime Ice Skating offers special skates for the surface, but people can use their own skates if they have them.

Because it is synthetic, the rink can be used regardless of weather, Johnston said.

“We can skate any time, unless it’s storming or something like that. We don’t have to worry about ice melting or 70-degree days here in Indiana,” she said.

On Monday, Anytime Ice Skating started assembling the rink next to the DriveHubler.com Amphitheater. Workers put down rubber matting first, then added slabs of the synthetic material that would serve as the skating surface. By the end of the day, the surface was complete, walls had been raised around the rink and everything was ready for the first skaters.

With the rink, Franklin officials now have another way to draw people downtown and provide more activities for people who come to town, Johnston said. She anticipates the rink to be packed for events such as Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25 and the downtown Holiday Lighting on Dec. 2.

For the time being, the Franklin rink is a one-time experiment, Johnston said. But if it’s successful, the attraction could become a mainstay year after year.

“It’ll be fun. We’re pretty excited about it,” Johnston said.

AT A GLANCE

Ice Skating at Youngs Creek Park

When: today through Dec. 9

Where: 161 W. Monroe St., Franklin

Cost: $5/per skater per one-hour session

Information: The rink is 2,000 square feet of iceless skating rink. Skates will be provided with your $5 fee. A signed waiver is required of each participant.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7; 5-10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 and 8; noon-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, 25, Dec. 2 and 9; noon-8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26 and Dec. 3. Closed Thanksgiving.