Shimla Ice Skating Club management hopes for good winter, sessions likely from Dec 15
Shimla, November 28
Shimla Ice Skating Club management is praying for good winter this year. The capital did not receive any snow during the last winter and witnessed higher than normal temperatures. Due to unfavourable weather conditions, the club could hold just 35 skating sessions from December 14 to January 23. The club was forced to stop skating as the temperatures had risen way above normal, melting the ice.
“The last year was not at all conducive for skating. We barely managed 30-odd sessions,” said club’s executive committee member and ice skating coach Pankaj Prabhakar.
Incidentally, the number of sessions held last year was the lowest in the last five years. In the past when the weather was more favourable, the club used to conduct around 90 sessions.
“We are hoping for good snowfall and favourable temperatures this winter. We hope to start skating session by December 15. If conducive weather starts a little earlier, we can start skating sessions by the end of the first week next month,” he said, adding that the work to prepare the rink for skating session was going on in full swing.
Considering the historical significance of this over a century-old rink and the narrowing window for skating, it was decided a few years back to upgrade it to an all-weather facility. An amount of Rs 21 crore was earmarked for the purpose under Shimla Smart City Mission but the plan has not moved beyond the files.
“We are hoping that the project will take off at some point in future. If it happens, the all-weather skating rink will give a massive boost to tourism in the state,” said Prabhakar.
Like the past few years, the club will be able to use only 70 per cent of the rink as its one portion is still out of the bounds due to the ongoing construction work on an elevator. “The construction work is still on. A significant portion of the rink is occupied by the machinery and construction material. So, we will again not have the entire rink with us,” said Prabhakar.
