Maya McFadden Photo
Sixty students from St. Francis & St. Rose of Lima School had an icy start to their morning Wednesday, getting in a skating trip to the Ralph Walker Skating Rink before it temporarily closes mid-March.
The rink has been undergoing a major renovation, in phases. In between the phases, parks and rec has been working with schools to have kids make maximum use of the modernized facility, with visits like Wednesday.
Phase ll of the rink rehab is less than a month away on March 15. The rink manager’, deputy city parks director Bill Dixon, showed city youth that it’s never too cold to go ice skating.
Students in grades fifth through eighth joined their peers to learn a lesson on balance on Wednesday.
For many of the students, it was their first time ice skating, said eighth-grade history teacher Ray Guarino.
Allyson Orta and Madison Adam.
Seventh-graders Madison Adam, 12, and Allyson Orta, 12, said they were happy to take the two-hour break from classes. Orta said that while she was in her two morning classes before leaving for the trip, she could hardly concentrate because of her excitement.
Three other teachers joined Guarino, one from each grade level. Many of the teachers joined the students on the ice for the hour and a half.
“It’s important for the students to see their teachers not just in front of the classroom all the time,” Guarino said.
Since its temporary opening, youth hockey teams have been able to rent out the ice for practice time for a fee. This month’s schedule for public skate times is on the Facebook page for the rink.
As the rink rehab progresses, Dixon has arranged as much community use as possible.
St. Francis student Eddie Jackson, 13, rated his skating Wednesday a six out of ten. For much of the time, Jackson skated around giving his peers milk crates to use as a support system.
Students dance as they skate.
Lisa Malanson, a fifth-grade teacher, joined the students on the rink for her first time in years. “It was like learning to ride a bike again,” she said. Malanson was able to bond with her students on the ice much differently than she could in the classroom.
The building is being renovated with financial assistance from Albertus Magnus, which uses the rink for its hockey team’s home games.
Dixon (pictured) said with a new ice machine and upcoming renovations, Walker will be a collegiate-quality rink for all of New Haven. Hopes are that the rink will be finished by October for hockey season.
“In October this will be a whole new world. Soon this will be a first-class facility,” Dixon said.
The Albertus Magnus hockey team locker room.
So far the bathroom facilities have been upgraded, and locker rooms were added along with a referee room. Albertus also provided funding to build and design a separate locker room for the hockey team, which includes a laundry and ice room, locker room, and training room.
When the rink closes in March, the final stages of construction will happen. This will include the building of what will be the entrance for the public with a concession stand and lounge. Minor improvements to the roof will happen along with repainting in what will be the locker rooms for the away hockey teams.
“Like Nike, we have to just do it,” said Dixon.
Dixon is planning a “Learn to Skate” program, which Albertus hockey players will help run.
With phase one of the renovations costing about $3 million, Dixon said, he and the city are prioritizing how the rink is used to offer revenue-generating programs.
In the effort to also remain accessible to the community, the rink does not charge New Haven Public Schools , which also regularly sends classes to Walker, for ice time, only the price for skate rentals.
“This rink is a gem of the city,” Dixon said.