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COON RAPIDS, Minn. — Outdoor ice skating season is officially underway in Coon Rapids, with the city opening its network of neighborhood rinks and warming houses for the winter. The seasonal facilities provide residents with access to both pleasure skating rinks and regulation sized hockey rinks across multiple city parks, supported by daily maintenance from parks and recreation crews.
According to the City of Coon Rapids, outdoor ice rinks are open during standard park hours from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., while warming houses operate on a more limited schedule to align with staffing and safety guidelines.
Ice rink locations
Coon Rapids operates outdoor skating facilities at several parks throughout the city. Most locations feature a regulation hockey rink alongside a separate open skating surface:
- Riverview Park, 2420 105th Ave. NW
- Sand Creek Park, 1008 Northdale Blvd. NW
- Thorpe Park, 2691 Carlson Dr. NW
- Wintercrest Park, 10300 Woodcrest Dr. NW
- Coon Rapids Ice Center, 11000 Crooked Lake Blvd. NW
The outdoor rink at the Ice Center is refrigerated, allowing it to open earlier and remain usable more consistently than natural ice rinks when winter temperatures fluctuate.
Hours of operation
While skating is permitted during regular park hours, warming house access follows a fixed weekly schedule:
- Monday through Friday: 5 to 9 p.m.
- Saturday and school closure days: 1 to 9 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 to 6 p.m.
Warming houses are generally closed on holidays. City officials note that if a warming house is closed during posted hours, it may be due to staffing shortages. Portable restrooms and outdoor benches remain available at all rink locations.
Maintenance and weather policies
City crews maintain the rinks daily, weather permitting, using a routine that includes ice shaving, sweeping, snow removal, and flooding to ensure safe and smooth skating surfaces.
Closures may occur during extreme cold conditions for public and staff safety. The city typically suspends rink and warming house operations when temperatures reach -5 degrees Fahrenheit or when wind chills fall to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinks may also close temporarily during warm weather or while flooding is underway to protect ice quality.
Seasonal activities
In addition to open skating, the Ice Center hosts special winter events throughout the season. One scheduled highlight includes Holiday Skate with Rocky, featuring a skating exhibition by local skating school students, offering families a festive way to kick off winter recreation.
Residents are encouraged to check the city’s official ice skating webpage for real time updates on rink conditions, warming house hours, and a full map of locations.
For Coon Rapids, the opening of outdoor rinks marks a familiar winter milestone, transforming neighborhood parks into community gathering spaces and signaling the start of another Minnesota skating season.
