Minneapolis residents eager to lace up their skates and hit the ice will have to put their plans on ice, literally. Due to unseasonably warm temperatures that could turn a triple lutz into a belly flop, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has temporarily shut down all of its outdoor skating and hockey rinks. While hockey players and figure skaters will need to take a timeout, broomball players can continue to sweep across the rinks that remain open.
It's not all doom and gloom for winter sports enthusiasts, however. MPRB operations staff are keeping a cool head about the weather and predict the rinks will be back in their icy glory next week as the mercury is set to drop. While, waiting for the cold to return, folks can stay updated on the status of their local ice rinks by visiting the MPRB's rink status page.
As any Minnesotan knows, winter is a fickle beast in the Northland, and this brief thaw is just another hitch in the giddy-up of our coldest season. With a rebound in freezing temps, the closed rinks won't stay a no-man's-land for long. This pause in play is just that, a pause, and soon enough the sound of blades on ice will once again dominate neighborhood parks.
For now, those with an unyielding itch to skate outdoors might consider a jaunt to one of the indoor facilities that remain unaffected by the whims of Mother Nature. This announcement, and the rinks' status, can constantly change – so would-be skaters should keep their eyes peeled on updates from MPRB. And remember, as Jack Frost inevitably returns to reclaim his territory, so too will the skaters reclaim their icy domain.
