Ice skating enthusiasts can glide across the public rink until January 19th.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Transition from carving turkeys at Thanksgiving to carving paths on the ice.
Jacksonville has launched an ice skating rink underneath the Fuller Warren Bridge as of Friday.
This festive attraction invites visitors with a playlist full of Christmas tunes, adding to the array of holiday activities perfect for families.
“I enjoyed it,” remarked Ashlynn Woodle after completing her circuit around the rink.
Having grown up in Florida, Ashlynn hasn’t had many opportunities to skate on ice.
“This is only my second time,” said Woodle.
It turns out Woodle had a hidden talent, because it came naturally to her.
But it didn’t come naturally to everyone, as she was surrounded by a wide range of skill levels at the new Jacksonville Artist Walk on Ice on Riverside Avenue – an outdoor rink open to the public for the holidays.
“I’m from New York, 50 years ago,” said Richard Cerielo. “I used to skate pretty good, but these skating legs have taken a little bit of getting used to.”
Although the rink opened on a cold day, there’s a plan to keep it frozen even if a Florida heat wave hits.
“The chiller will pump glycol through the system, through the lines,” said Rink Manager Jocelyn Jones. “Since it freezes below, the water will freeze over it while the glycol runs. It’s pretty big, and we build the layer every time it goes down.”
While they keep the ice cold at the new outdoor rink, the fences have melted away at Riverfront Plaza, revealing a new playground, lawn and cafe space where the Landing once stood.
It will be filled with Christmas spirit this weekend as a Christmas tree waits to be lit up during Holiday River Fest Saturday immediately followed by the Christmas Light Boat Parade.
Another new spot to check out the boat parade is where the boats turn around in front of RiversEdge Park on the Southbank, which just opened this week with plenty of space to find the perfect spot to pick out your favorite boat from.
Once the boats are through, there will still be plenty of time to carve up the ice.
“This is the best thing the parks department has done in a long time,” said Cerielo. “What a beautiful day to be on ice.”
The ice rink will be open until January 19th, so there’s plenty of time to work on a triple axel.
You can find more information on hours and pricing here.
