Peru begins installation of Washington Park ice rink

Fans of outdoor winter activities will soon have another option located in the middle of Peru.

Peru city workers have begun installing the newly-purchased ice skating rink behind the splash pad in Washington Park.

The $26,774.80 project includes a 42-inch, freestanding poly-steel perimeter to the already existing area. The semi-permanent boards will anchor to the concrete to create the rink and can be removed if needed.

The rink includes the poly-steel boards, brackets, thick blue poly cap rail, thick yellow kickplates and a white sleek ice rink liner.

Director of Parks, Recreation and Special Events Adam Thorson said he believes this will be a great addition to the city of Peru.

“It’s another great thing for the community and the surrounding communities to bring people together,” Thorson said. “I think it’s a great asset for one of our beautiful parks, it’ll be great.”

The rink is currently being set up on top of the current pickleball and basketball courts after it was delivered about a week ago.

The installation is scheduled to be completed around Thanksgiving; by the end of November at the latest.

Once the weather allows, the rink will then be flooded and frozen to allow for skating. The rink is the exact dimensions of an official NHL ice rink, giving those who wish to use the new city addition for hockey.

The city currently plans to have scheduled skating and hockey hours to ensure it can be used for a variety of purposes without conflict.

The rink will remain open, weather permitting, throughout the winter months. After the weather begins to heat up and the ice melts, the surrounding barrier will remain around the courts year round.

This will enable the space to be used for various recreational activities, such as roller hockey, pickleball and basketball.