There’s been a lack of ICE lately; Santa Monica’s outdoor ice skating rink closed for yet another holiday season
Holden Kopman, Staff Writer
ICE, Santa Monica’s seasonal outdoor skating rink, was a place where many families and friends shared memorable experiences during the final months of the year. Due to an electrical malfunction in the parking lot where ICE was held, the rink will be closed for the second year in a row.
This has brought disappointment to many consistent attendees over the past years and to those looking forward to visiting for the first time. Its festive lighting and symbolism of the holiday spirit provided an unforgettable essence to the place, and its disappearance has saddened the many who have attended it before. After the two years of ‘melted ice’, Downtown Santa Monica has confirmed its return in 2022, allowing it to once again become a Santa Monica attraction.
Due to Santa Monica’s lack of seasonal changes, ICE has been the community’s trademark of the winter months. It incorporated fake snow and food stands selling hot chocolate to emulate the holiday spirit. Kylie Ozaki (’25) recalls ICE fondly as a young child.
“It was a cool experience to have at night time and I really enjoyed the fake snow. Definitely something that seems strange to be held in California for me. Though it got crowded sometimes, it was pretty spaced apart with a nice vibe to it,” Ozaki said.
ICE’s introduction to skating for newcomers was also a welcoming experience that past attendees were excited to cherish once more. According to Oliver Higgonson (’24), ICE was also a great place to hang out with friends during winter holidays as it was festive and brought much attraction to Samo students.
“It’s a great place to go with friends. It was also my first time skating and was decently easy to pick up on,” Higgonson said.
Lastly, ICE had assistants titled ‘rink rangers’ who were tasked with the responsibility of helping newcomers who did not know how to skate. These rangers had to meet the requirements of being a decent skater and have social skills necessary to help those in need. Ian Roberts (’25) has taken responsibility as one of these ICE rangers in past years.
“As a rink ranger, it was fun to watch others skate for the first time and have a good time myself. It was great volunteer work and I really enjoyed helping others,” Roberts said.
With the many experiences, ICE has brought to Santa Monica, it will be missed by the Samo community this holiday season. ICE’s long awaited return in 2022 will be an event to look forward to and bring much joy to those who attended this winter event in the past.
