Outdoor ice rink coming to Wilmington riverfront in December

6The Wilmington riverfront will see the opening of an outdoor ice skating rink next month.

The Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware (RDC) announced that Wilmington will be joining other communities across the nation in providing  a temporary, outdoor ice skating rink.

The Horizon Riverfront Rink, named for title sponsor Horizon Services, will be a family-oriented attraction, according to the RDC. Horizon is a plumbing and heating contractor.

The rink will open on December 13  and will continue until February 28, 2015. The 11-week season will attract thousands of skaters and even more spectators to Riverfront Wilmington,  the RDC stated.

Located at 308 Justison Street, the green space at Justison Landing will also feature holiday decorations, lights, and  music. The rink itself will be 72 by 120 feet.  rink. The rink will be able to accommodate about  350 skaters at a time. Amenities will include a warming tent, skate rental, and concessions. The rink will be managed by the RDC.

Admission for skating will be $8 per person (age 13+) and $5 per person (age 12 and under). The cost of skate rental will be $3 per pair. Hours of operation will be Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Horizon Riverfront Rink will not only bring a fun winter tradition of skating to downtown Wilmington, it will also offer numerous programs and promotions throughout the skating season. Programs for all ages are planned.

A complete listing of programs and promotions throughout the season will appear on the rink’s website: www.riverfrontrink.com.

In addition to Horizon Services, sponsors of the rink include Light Action; Capital One; AAA Mid-Atlantic, The Residences, WSTW, Brandywine Buzz, Highmark Delaware, The Goddard School, Sir Speedy, and The Starboard.

Outdoor skating rinks, the best known being the area in Rockefeller Center in New York City, have been a fixture in many cities. The Blue Cross rink  has been a winter fixture in Philadelphia for many years at Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River.

The venue has been expanded to include dining in tents with food from  celebrity chef Joe Garces

The Riverfront Development Corp. has expanded into amenities that will draw people to the area of Wilmington. It now manages the Delaware Children’s Museum.

Also opening this year was a new Westin hotel attached to the Chase Center on the Riverfront meeting facility.