A first peek at skating on Mishawaka's new rink, plus wild winter events
In Saturday night’s nippy air, lots of people gathered around Mishawaka’s new Ironworks Ice Rink and path — and tried the new ice — for its grand opening at downtown Beutter Park. Lights sparkled on the new, artificial Christmas tree at the edge of the rink and through trees and cords around this facility, which replaces the aged rink at Merrifield Park. Colored lights flashed on the ice.
Skaters start from the rental/concessions/events building and enter the ice on a path that curves around. You can soon opt for a left turn, giving you a short loop, or venture on to a good-sized square rink. A path then leads back to the start, curving near the Riverwalk with views of the St. Joseph River and the pedestrian bridge.
So, if you’re used to the singular ice path and circular “pond” at South Bend’s Howard Park, you’ll notice some differences — both with lots of ambience.
The Ironworks rink in Mishawaka had a fair amount of traffic both Saturday and Sunday — when I gave it a try — but it didn’t feel overwhelmed with skaters. That’s good with all of the new skaters who need the extra space to grab the wall or take a spill (usually little kids and teenagers).
You’ll want to make reservations online to ensure you get a time slot at checkout.roller.app/ironworksplaza. It costs $11 per adult and $8 per youth, which includes skate rental. Season passes are $70 per individual, $175 per family.
The new bumper cars are available between 5 and 7:20 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and between 10 and 11 a.m. and between 6:15 and 8:35 p.m. Sundays; cost is $10 for 15 minutes.
The Icebyks, which look like a Big Wheel or tricycle, can be rented on the ice — $8 for 15 minutes — between 4 and 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Dec. 15.
For the full schedule, visit mishawaka.in.gov/parks/facility/ironworks-ice-rink.
Wild for winter
This week’s column is a tad shorter. Next week's column will have a full roundup of Christmas Bird Counts from Audobon Society members across Michiana, which will run locally from Dec. 17 through 31. I’ll fill you in on where you can either count from your own window or join experienced bird watchers in the field.
∎ Bird walk: Elkhart County Parks will host its monthly Wednesday Bird Walk from 8 to 10 a.m. Dec. 7 from the Briar Patch Shelter in Bonneyville Mill County Park. This is free and open to ages 8 and older. The Briar Patch Shelter is east of Bristol on County Road 8 and just east of County Road 31.
∎ Rivers and conservation: The Two Rivers Coalition, which aims to protect the Paw Paw and Black river watersheds in southwest Michigan through advocacy and conservation, invites the public to its annual meeting virtually or in person Dec. 7 at the Van Buren Conference Center, 490 S. Paw Paw St. in Lawrence, Mich.
Jennifer Kanine, director of the Department of Natural Resources for the Pokagon Band of Potowatomi, will talk about the Dowagiac River restoration. Melissa DeSimone, executive director of the Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, will talk about recent findings about the environmental impacts of wake boats on lakes and streams.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with coffee, tea, cider and cookies and environmental group representatives with table displays. The program will start at 7 p.m. with a recap of the coalition’s efforts this year, including an E. coli testing grant, macroinvertebrate monitoring, a prothonotary warbler nest box project and paddling events.
The meeting will be streamed live via Google Meet at 7 p.m. Link to that at https://www.facebook.com/TwoRiversCoalition or at tworiverscoalition.org.
∎ Birds in winter: The Elkhart Environmental Center, 1717 E Lusher Ave, Elkhart, will host a hike for all ages to learn about birds in winter and how to look for them from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 10. Also, kids and adults will make edible ornaments for their backyard birds while sipping hot cocoa in the visitor’s cabin. Cost is $1. Spots are limited. Register at https://elkhart-environmental-center.ticketleap.com/winter-birding/.
∎ Santa photos with pets: Pets can have their photos taken with Santa from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 11 in the Brown Barn at St. Patrick’s County Park in South Bend. Then take a pet-friendly hike for a scavenger hunt for mini elves and finish with a fire and hot cocoa. One photo is free with donation of money or pet-related item for PetsConnect.
∎ Illuminated walk: Hike with illuminated markers on the trail from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at Bonneyville Mill County Park near Bristol and finish with hot cocoa and cookies at the park’s one-room schoolhouse. This event is free. Park and start from the Feedlot Shelter trailhead, next to the park mill’s main parking lot at 53373 County Road 131, just south of Indiana 120.
∎ Tubing parties: St. Joseph County Parks has started taking reservations for innertubing parties at either St. Patrick’s or Ferrettie-Baugo Creek county parks. Cost is $190 for two hours on weekdays and after public hours on weekends, for up to 80 people. Call 574-277-4828 to reserve.
Input on transportation
Do you think the area should prioritize trails and space for biking, walking and other forms of human-powered travel — or should it be on roads? There’s still ample time to chip in your thoughts for a 20-year plan that will set priorities for how public funding will be used for transportation in St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall and Kosciusko counties. Visit https://move2050-macog.hub.arcgis.com to complete a survey from the Michiana Area Council of Governments, or MACOG.
Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Ice skating begins on new Ironworks rink in Mishawaka and winter fun
