Have an ice time!
Prospect Park opens its ice skating rink this morning, letting Brooklynites strap on their skates for the first glide of the season. The frozen water rink at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside officially opens at 10 am on Nov. 20, and will remain open every day — including Thanksgiving and Christmas — until Spring melts it away, said one Park spokeswoman.
“Prospect Park Alliance is excited to welcome the public for another winter season on the ice at Lakeside,” said Deborah Kirschner.
The LeFrak Center features two ice rinks — one covered, and one fully out-of-doors, but for now, only the covered circle of ice is open. The outdoor rink is expected to open in early December, but the weather makes an exact date difficult to pin down, said a Park rep.
Along with skate stars gliding along the ice, the winter season will also feature several sports on the Prospect Park ice rinks, including curling, hockey and broomball. Classes and leagues for the sports will begin in December, and the rinks should remain open until mid-April, depending on the weather.
For those who feel a little unsteady on their blades, “booster” classes are available this Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 am. The class costs $40 for one, or $70 for two.
Prospect Park’s full “Skate School” will begin in December, and this year the classes will offer some real expert instruction: Leading the team this will be Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov, skaters who represented the United States in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.
“We are delighted to have Olympians Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov co-directing the Skate School, and bring their talents in developing innovative sports programming and youth development to Lakeside,” said Kirschner.
Go skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside (171 E. Drive in Prospect Park, enter on Ocean Avenue between Parkside Avenue and Lincoln Road, www.prospectpark.org). Open today and Thursday, 10 am–6 pm; Fri, 10 am–8 pm; Sat, noon–9 pm; Sun, noon–5 pm. Weekday hours vary, so check the website. Admission $7.50 weekdays, $11 Sat, Sun, Friday nights, and holidays. Skate rental $8.
