Shelby Farms Park installed the region’s first and “only eco-friendly outdoor skating rink” this week.
The “Glice” rink is the park’s newest addition to Starry Nights, which opens on Friday, November 29th and runs until January 3rd.
So, what is a Glice rink exactly? Glice is a Swiss brand formed in 2012 that engineers eco-friendly skating rinks.
The synthetic rinks are made to look and feel like ice, but are actually made from heat-pressured polymers. This means it doesn’t require water or electricity to operate. Additionally, all of the materials used for the rink are 100 percent recyclable. And because it’s synthetic ice, it can be used in any temperature.
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Compared to conventional refrigerated ice rinks, in one month a 2,000-square-foot Glice rink saves a little over 2,600 gallons of water and the equivalent of the average monthly energy consumption of 200 households, according to Glice.
Angie Whitfield, marketing and communications manager for Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, said the Glice rink is “the greenest option possible for winter fun. It really aligns perfectly with our mission of environmental sustainability.”
The 3,150 square foot rink will be located on the lawn of the First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center near Hyde Lake. It’ll be open from noon-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Find more information on the Starry Nights site.
Check out the video below to see how Glice rinks are installed.
Shelby Farms Installs Zero-Water, Zero-Energy Ice Rink Alternative
