Tiffin’s new iceless rink welcomes its first skaters

December 8, 2024 Sheri Trusty 119 Views

By Sheri Trusty, Seneca County Media Relations Coordinator

A huge crowd gathered at Oakley Park to see the new iceless skating rink. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart and his wife, Janet Frankart, had fun watching the first ice skaters on the new Sutton Bank Rink at Oakley Park during the Dec. 8 Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting hosted by Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce. The synthetic, iceless rink allows skaters to have fun regardless of the weather.

Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart and his wife, Janet Frankart, enjoyed watching the first skaters on the new rink. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

That’s a good thing because the grand opening was held on an unseasonably warm December day. Skaters took to the rink under a bright sun and 50-something-degrees.

The very first skaters glide across the Sutton Bank Rink at Oakley Park on Dec. 8. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

According to the Tiffin Parks and Recreation Department website, the skating rink was made possible through the generous support of the Sutton Bank Charitable Fund of the Tiffin Community Foundation, the White Family Charitable Trust of the Tiffin Community Foundation, the National Machinery Foundation, Operation Hallmark Inc., Reineke Family Dealerships, Mary Jo & Bob SanGregory, Clouse Construction and many other community supporters.

Commissioner Frankart said he is grateful to the many people who worked to bring the rink to Tiffin.

Seneca County Commissioner Bill Frankart addresses the crowd during the grand opening of the skating rink. Commissioner Frankart thanked the many people who worked to bring the rink to Tiffin. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The ribbon is cut on the Sutton Bank Rink at Oakley Park on Dec. 8 (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“This is definitely a great community project that will make everlasting memories for families and friends,” he said.

The skating rink will be open to the public on Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. The rink will have extended holiday hours around Christmas, and the rink is available to rent for private events.

A limited number of skates are available, and patrons are welcome to bring their own. Skating costs $5 per session. Day passes and memberships must be purchased online, and online waivers must be completed prior to skating.

The Sutton Bank Rink’s first skaters were not hindered by sunny skies and warm weather. The iceless rink allowed them to skate anyway. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

The Tiffin Parks and Recreation Department is looking for volunteers to man the rink when it is open, and it is also seeking businesses that would like to sponsor skate sessions, which would open the rink to the public free of charge.

Several individuals and businesses have already stepped up to sponsor free skate sessions. Thanks to Tiffin Mayor Lee and Susan Wilkinson, Cuadra Pediatric Dentistry, Lucius Fence & Decking, Your Legacy Federal Credit Union and Superior Credit Union, the following skate sessions are free and open to the public:

Dec. 13, 5-9 p.m.
Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dec. 20, 5-9 p.m.
Jan. 10, 5-9 p.m.

For more information on the Sutton Bank Rink at Oakley Park, including links to purchase skating passes, visit https://www.tiffinohio.gov/sutton-bank-rink-oakley-park.

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