Mission Bay served on ice for school holidays

19 April 2013

Mission Bay served on ice for school holidays

The first Auckland open-air Ice-rink has opened today in Mission Bay, just in time for the school holidays.

With views overlooking Rangitoto and the Hauraki Gulf, Kiwis and visitors alike will get to experience the true wonders of ice-skating in an open-air environment (the rink is not under a marquee, allowing patrons to skate under the stars at night, or during the day - rain or shine).

Orakei Councilor, Cameron Brewer, says: "This will be a welcome and hugely popular attraction for the school holidays. I know parents are always looking for healthy, fun and reasonably priced activities for their kids to do."

Ice-Rinks Ltd, a New Zealand company, is responsible for the set-up of the event, and its principal, Peter Lynch, has been running ice-skating events for 15 years in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Noumea, the Philippines and Vanuatu. Peter’s family have been involved in building ice rinks since the 1960s, and his wife Liz is a 1980 figure skating Winter Olympian.

“The Queenstown Winter Festival featured our popular outdoor rink in 2011, 2012 and will again this year. However, erecting an Ice-rink at the beach, as we have done before on Bondi Beach, is an amazing juxtaposition,” Peter says.

Peter and his team have been busy all week putting the Ice-rink together, which uses 5000 litres of water, and freezes in less than 24 hours. “The technology we use (Speed Ice System) is the same technology that The Red Bull Crashed Ice events use around the world,” he says.

“It’s also the most energy efficient way to put an ice-rink together, because of the closeness of the refrigeration pipes running underneath. We save 36% on power using this technology compared to other systems available.”

“More FM Mission Bay on Ice” will be open 10am-10pm daily, and allows up to 125 skaters per session. Mission Bay, The Promenade, is co-sponsoring the event, and Marketing Manager Megan Burgess says they are very excited to be bringing the magical Queenstown rink to seaside Mission Bay. The event is also proudly supported by the Orakei Local Board.

Quick Facts:

• The Ice-rink measures 17m x 17m
• Uses 5000 litres of 100 % pure water
• 6km of refrigeration piping runs underneath Ice-rink (grid system)
• The Speed Ice System (US made) is the fastest producer of ice in the world
• Takes less than 24 hours for water to turn to ice
• Open from 19 April 2013 to 5 May 2013, 10am-10pm daily.
• Tickets $20, Adult, $16, Child (under 13 yrs), $56 Family (2 adults, 2 children). (includes skate hire)
• Skating sessions are 45 minutes each, and run on the hour, every hour
• The rink will have an on-site manager, trained first-aider, staff and security.
• There will also be cute learn-to-skate penguins to help new skaters around the rink
• Ticket sales at www.iTicket.co.nz
• Event information at www.missionbay.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media