Shimla Ice Skating Rink to meet international standards

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 26

Shimla Ice Skating Rink, the oldest natural ice skating rink of Asia, will be expanded to meet international ice hockey standards.

The rink at Blessington Grounds, spread over an area measuring six tennis courts, has been dug up and levelling work is in progress. The rink’s width would be increased by 4 metres to acquire the required dimensions of 56 m x 30 m.

However, uncertainty prevails over the timely starting of the ice skating season this year too. The season normally starts in first week of December. Even the trial freezing of water is yet to start.

“The skating season is shrinking due to rise in temperature, exposure of the ground to direct sun due to the felling of trees, increased human activity. It is difficult to predict when the skating season will start this year,” said Balwant, caretaker of the rink.

“Longer ice skating season spanning four to five months has become a thing of past and we will install a refrigeration plant next year. The work on extending the present rink to meet the international ice hockey norms by increasing the width by about 4 metres is underway,” said secretary of the Simla Ice Skating Club and president of the Ice Skating Association of India Bhuvanesh Banga.

The government has sanctioned Rs 55 lakh, including Rs 45 lakh for the widening of the ground and Rs 10 lakh for dashboards, executive member of the Simla Ice Skating Club Rajan Bhardwaj said.

The average minimum and maximum temperature during this time of the year in Shimla has risen from 4°C and 8°C to 8°C and 15°C resulting in a delayed start of the ice skating season.

The trial for freezing water is likely commence in two-three days, but solid ice for skating and also proper levelling of the rink would take some more days.

The number of members which was about 200 till two decades ago has swelled to 700.