Skate at the Piazza – The Kids love it!
If you are looking for a unique, environmentally friendly ice skating experience, then you should know that it is available to you right now, right here in the Riverwards.
Skate at the Piazza, a synthetic polymer plastic “ice” skating rink has just “popped up” at The Piazza at Schmidts, an 80,000 square foot, multi-purposed, open-air plaza in the heart of Northern Liberties, 1001 N. 2nd St. And, it’s cool, pun intended.
Everyone skated for free when the official grand opening and ribbon cutting took place recently. While DJ Royale pumped tunes from the southfacing steps, an LED screen illuminated the rink from above, Santa Claus took requests and carolers sang their hearts out, kids and adults held hands and circled the rink like pros. Well, some of them did, at least.
World-class ice skater and 2010 Olympian for Israel, Tamar Katz had a great time with the kids after an opening performance. When asked how it was skating on a plastic surface, she noted that it was a bit of a challenge, mostly because it slows one down a bit. But, that’s where the novices – adults and kids alike — will enjoy this rink most. As one skater noted: “This is better for a new skater because it hurts much less to fall.”
Six-year-old Natalia Nigro of South Philly had her first ice skating experience that night. While not as slippery as real ice, this young skater thought it was indeed “slippery but very cool.” Her father, Dominic, who was busy shepherding around his middle daughter – four-year-old Victoria – thought Skate at the Piazza was a great find. “We will definitely come back! There is a great feel here. Nice people and this skating rink is a plus.”
Activated by the blades of the skates, the lubricated squares that make up the 5,000 square foot pop up ice skating rink is the first of its kind to hit Philly. And, with $1 skate rentals, $3 dollar day passes for kids and $5 dollar day passes for adults, this rink is a great temporary winter time solution when the ‘what to do?’ question arises.
“Skate at the Piazza seems like a great way to use the space during the winter,” noted Matt Rubin, President of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association. “Because it can be supplemented with food, entertainment, and other uses, it can provide something for everyone. It’s good to see The Piazza’s management trying new things like this.”
Surrounded by top-notch restaurants and bars, boutiques, record stores, and fitness studios, Skate at the Piazza, which is operating through the end of the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 23rd, 2014, has something for everyone. Over the next two months there will be live music and entertainment and movies on the LED. There will also be food trucks and craft stands. Additionally, there is also talk of a curling league being formed, which would end its season at the same time that Curling medaling event will appear at the Sochi Olympics.
