A free outdoor ice rink is open in Wellesley for the first time in years, drawing families outside and creating a welcoming space for community and connection for the winter months.
The rink, located on one of the basketball courts at the Hunnewell Field Complex off Rice Street, opened for the first time last week. Community members can sign up to receive information about the rink in a newsletter from the Wellesley Recreation Department. It’s open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. while the weather allows (obviously, this week’s blizzard will be an issue…).
Matt Chin, the town’s Recreation Director, said the rink first opened about 10 years ago and lasted for a handful of years before shutting down. This year’s launch was organized in collaboration with Wellesley Parks, Water, and Fire Departments, as well as DPW.
He also noted that “a group of dedicated volunteers have been clearing the last snowstorms for the rink to open,” which had pushed the opening date back.
Vishal Kuchaculla, a local parent, got together with other residents to clear the snow off the ice, noting that the snowfall had pushed the opening back a week or so. He said maintenance is “the only thing that the township asked” of the community.
There was also an issue with vandalism, which caused the opening to be delayed another few weeks. Kuchaculla said that someone threw a parking cone and tree branches onto the ice, where it then got lodged, and people were “walking and stomping on the ice” before it was fully frozen. In the future, Chin wants to make sure that they secure the site better while waiting for the rink to freeze.
Chin said he thinks the rink is important because it “provides a safe place for ice skating,” as the town “does not check local ponds” to see if they’re safe.
Kolea Zimmerman, another resident, said he heard about the rink through an email from the Recreation Department. He was there skating with his two young kids, but was otherwise alone. He said that the parking was confusing and inaccessible, with the lot near the rink being gated off (parking is available at the high school).
“It’s a little rough, but, you know, fun,” he said.
Zimmerman also said that he thinks that it would be beneficial to have some sort of skate rental system “to get more people out here.”
Kuchaculla said it’s important for kids to have spaces where they can get outside, create memories and skate with friends. He said that the rink provides a place that will allow for that for the community.
“There is nothing more special than skating outside,” he said. “I’d like this to be an annual thing, and it’s something that can be organic.”
This story was produced in partnership with the Boston University Department of Journalism.
