Ice skating is another wonderful family activity, as well as great exercise. You don’t need to know what a salchow is to have a great time out on the ice.
The Town of Delhi, in Delaware County, opened an ice skating rink last year, and it is in frozen operation right now. The rink is located in Sheldon Park near Delware Academy. The Town of Delhi website says “Ice Skating 2015 Opening Day – Saturday, January 10 — Borrow skates for free on site…or just stand by the fire and watch the cool kids skate”.
Another area rink was just opened in Downsville, in Pepaction Park. Two Downsville women who created the Best Dam 5k in 2013 have turned their efforts and the money raised by the run, to create a free public skating rink. The Oneonta Daily Star has more details on this terrific effort, here.
Other area rinks are:
- Badgley Park in the Village of Middleburgh
- Livingston Manor rink in Rotary Park on Pleasant Street in Livingston Manor — it has a Facebook page! (Pleasant St. is one block southwest of the stoplight on Main Street)
- Hodges Pond, Oneonta — ice conditions can be checked by calling 607-432-7997
- Windham Adventure Park
- If your taste in rinks goes more to the indoor, well groomed rinks, Saugerties has what you’re looking for in the Kiwanis Arena
- The Empire State Plaza in Albany has turned into Empire Skate Plaza.
- Mohonk Mountain House, in New Paltz, has a refrigerated rink in their Pavillion
- Of course, if you don’t mind travelling further afield, Lake Placid has many skating options
Note that except for the Saugerties and Mohonk indoor rinks, these rinks are subject to the vagaries of our weather. Ice conditions aren’t guaranteed. Some of these rinks have contacts to call to check conditions and others you’ll have to chance. Many, but not all, of the above rinks are free to skate.
If you know of any other ice skating rinks in the Catskill region, please let us know!