Ice rink gives shoppers a chance to chill out
Limerick’s Holiday on Ice features a massive ice skating rink at the Potato Market in Merchants Quay.
It will be officially opened this morning at 10am by the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Michael Hourigan, and comedian Jon Kenny.
The ice rink is expected to attract up to 50,000 people between now and January 9.
Up to 200 people will be able to skate around the massive rink at any time and organiser Fran O’Donnell said bookings have been flooding in from all over the country.
Over the past three days huge chilling machines have been turning thousands of gallons of water into ice at a temperature of -12 degrees.
Mr O’Donnell said: “It has taken 72 hours to get a complete ice surface for the rink which covers a space of 600 square meters. The ice surface is six inches deep.”
The ice rink is intended to bring in more shoppers to the city centre.
Each visitor is allowed a one-hour session on the ice and children have to be more than six years of age.
The prices are €14 for adults and €9 for children.
As well as six ice marshals who will supervise skaters an extensive system has been put in place to deal with any falls.
“We have 70 people employed and there will be very strict security to ensure that families can come and enjoy themselves and feel comfortable.
“We have a wide range of side attractions with the ice rink and if people don’t want to go on the ice they can come and enjoy a wide range of attractions. Santa will also be here up to Christmas Eve,” Mr O’Donnell said.
The ice rink opens from 10am to 10pm each day.
Mr O’Donnell said: “It is a very exciting project to work on and it is bound to bring a huge number of people into the city over the holiday.” Each person will be supplied with skates and Mr O’Donnell said anybody involved with sport or dancing, will quickly adapt to the ice.
“It is a great family event and we want people to come along, relax and enjoy it,” Mr O’Donnell said.
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