FLINT, Michigan — Less than three years after reopening, the University of Michigan-Flint’s downtown ice skating rink has been named one of 10 outstanding outdoor ice rinks in Michigan by Pure Michigan.
In fact, it was ranked No. 4 — coming in behind only the legendary Campus Martius Park rink in Detroit, Greenfield Village’s rink in Dearborn, and the aptly-named Buhr Park Outdoor Ice Arena in Ann Arbor.
UM-Flint’s rink re-opened in January 2016 after being shuttered for more than 25 years. The rink became a cornerstone of UM-Flint Chancellor Susan E. Borrego’s mission to uplift the community at large while also enhancing student experience on campus.
Long an eyesore and a reminder of the failed Water Street Pavilion development, the reopening was celebrated throughout the community and continues to draw hundreds of skaters.
UM-Flint offers free open skate noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, 5-9 p.m. on Wednesdays and 5-8 p.m. on Fridays. Skate rental is available for $3.
“As we continue to find ways to enhance campus, opening this rink is a simple way to have a dramatic impact,” Borrego said when the reopening was announced. “As an anchor institution in downtown Flint, our campus success and our community success are inherently tied to one another. We are proud to be partners, working together to enhance both our campus and our community.”
Pure Michigan is a department within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that promotes travel and tourism in Michigan as a key to economic development.
The other sites highlighted in the list of “
10 Outstanding Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks In Michigan” include East Lansing’s Valley Court Park, Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, the Petoskey Winter Sports Park, Marquette Commons, and Moran Bay in St. Ignace (which offers a chance to skate on Lake Huron).
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.