No ice rink for Palmerton

Palmerton’s Memorial Park will not feature an ice-skating rink this year, though this may not be a permanent end to the tradition.

Palmerton Memorial Park office assistant Chris Jahelka confirmed that the area in the park usually reserved for the activity will not be flooded to build the rink, citing concerns over the effort and resources required for the project.

“There is definitely no ice skating this year,” Jahelka said. “One of the main reasons is the cost and time associated with it. The manager who takes care of the event spends countless hours preparing for it.”

Over the past few years, the rink has been up and running for less than two weeks per season. Mild winters are partially to blame, as higher temperatures had caused the ice to melt rather quickly.

Jahelka also said that there is a concern for the safety of parkgoers, along with the element of liability for injuries.

Borough Manager Rodger Danielson added that general interest in the ice rink has declined over the years, making the project a costly effort that fewer and fewer residents utilize.

However, Jahelka did say that if the weather gets any better in the future, and if park employees can make the practice safer and more efficient to assemble, this might not be the end of the practice.

“They may, in the future, look into reopening it,” he said.