Skating Rinks

Paul Brock and Geo Honigford spray water from a fire hydrant onto a patch of the South Royalton green. Each year, SoRo's fire department takes charge of creating a town rink, where the skating is free. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

Are Open!

Community skating rinks in Vermont’s White River Valley, maintained and sometimes staffed by volunteers, are open earlier this year than in recent memory.

It almost guarantees days of fine skating and ice games throughout the school Christmas Vacation.

In South Royalton, the Fire Department opened a rink on the picturesque common.

In Randolph the rink is a little more sophisticated, with a big warming hut and hockey boards and a little Zamboni. It also opened this week. In his column "The Rink Rat" Paul Easton wrote the following:

By the Rink Rat!

The town skating rink is now open. The ice is smooth and shiny and ready to go. We were able to open after school on Wednesday at 2:30. In my 14 years of involvement, this will be the earliest we have ever opened.

The long-term weather forecast looks cooperative, so there will be lots of skating, hockey, and broomball during Christmas vacation. The rink will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day from noon until 5 p.m. We once again have a beautiful tree, which was donated by the Grout family. This spring and summer, we would like to transplant a permanent tree, and do some landscaping. Anyone who would like to help or contribute to this project should get in touch.

The phone number at the rink is 728-4647 and you can call for information. The phone number at the Boys & Girls Club is 718-3010, in case you cannot reach us or would like to schedule an event or party, or book a rental. There is a fee for skating and various combinations of passes are available as well.

Skate rentals are available; we have helmets and masks, hockey sticks, some equipment to loan, and of course broomball sticks, balls … and lots of pucks. Skate sharpening is on site, with light repairs, and limited skates for sale, along with a fair and viable trading network. This season there will be food and snacks available fresh from Tewksbury’s Store, along with hot cocoa, coffee, and tea. A vending machine will also be on the premises.

The schedule has changed a little this year. We open for skating 2:30-4:45 Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, skating is from noon until 4:45. During school vacation, on holidays, and snow days (if possible), we will also open at noon. Each evening’s programming will begin at 5 p.m.

Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. is family open skate. (Children must be accompanied by an adult.) From 8-9 there is high school broomball, which is also repeated on Monday night. Monday night is broomball for grades K-three at 5 p.m.; grades four through six at 6 p.m.; junior high at 7 p.m.; and high school at 8.

Tuesday night mirrors Monday, except it is stick and puck hockey. Most activity is for boys and girls together, unless noted differently. Wednesday is for girls and ladies; women’s hockey from 5-6; family hockey 6-7 (children must be accompanied by an adult); co-ed adult hockey 7-8 (21 and older).

VTC hockey rents the ice from 8-10 p.m. VTC also uses the ice 9-11 for open skate on Tuesday. Thursday is grades 4-6 hockey from 5-6 p.m.; junior high/high school hockey 6-7 p.m.; and 7-9 will be teens only skate (age 12/seventh grade and up).

Friday remains our skating-only day and from 8-9 it is teens only again. Saturday mirrors Tuesday stick and puck, except 8-9 is open hockey/high school and older. All hockey requires helmet and mask; no exceptions! We have helmets and masks to borrow.