Peru Washington Park ice rink may open after Thanksgiving

When Jack Frost arrives in the Illinois Valley this season, the ice rink at Washington Park in Peru will be ready to open for the public.

“We hope to have the rink open for skating beginning on Monday after Thanksgiving,” Director of Park and Recreation Adam Thorson said. “We will keep everyone updated on our city Facebook pages.”

The city set up the rink on Tuesday as the forecast predicts highs in the 20s next week.

Last year, the rink never opened. In 2022, the rink was open for seven days because of the weather.

With temperatures last year reaching the high 30s and 40s for most of December, the conditions were not ideal for setting up the rink. By the time temperatures became ideal, it snowed, and city workers focused on the road.

It has to be colder than 32 degrees to freeze the water, and it needs to be cold enough for a duration of time.

At the end of January the city announced it was awarded a $600,000 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant, a program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to make improvements around the Washington Park ice rink and make it available to the public despite weather conditions.

The city will match the grants with a 50/50 contribution.

In July, Peru aldermen discussed two proposals for the rink during a Public Services Committee meeting saying a new rink may be installed as early as winter 2025.

Thorson said he has no update on the chiller unit at this time and the city is completely weather dependent for this season.

Mayor Ken Kolowski said the team wanted to get the rink prepared early this year.

“Hopefully, weather permitting Peru will be ready for everyone to enjoy winter activities,” he said.