The County has received feedback from residents highlighting the challenges posed by sun and heat at the outdoor ice rink, which limit its usability. During the winter, sunlight can melt sections of the ice, creating unsafe skating conditions. In the summer, the rink becomes excessively hot, reducing its potential for roller skating and other activities. As the County prepares to replace the aging refrigerated floor, this presents an ideal opportunity to reassess the feasibility of adding a shade structure. Such a structure would mitigate these challenges while seamlessly integrating with the new ice rink floor.
The replacement of the refrigerated floor and the potential addition of a shade structure are part of the County's broader efforts to improve the rink’s ice-making systems. The County is also under contract to replace the refrigeration (chiller) plant, which is expected to arrive by the end of spring 2025 and begin producing ice for the 2025–2026 skating season.
Next Public Meeting, May 8, 2025
At the May 8, 2025, Park and Recreation Board meeting, the project manager will share the responses from the second survey and request a recommendation from the board members prior to presenting the project to the County Council. The meeting is held at 5:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos.
Second Survey closed on April 24
The first survey results demonstrated overwhelming support for a structure that can provide not only protection from the sun, but rain and snow while also providing full, year-round coverage of the arena including the rink floor, player boxes, and stands.
As the County project team evaluated a variety of structure types, it became clear that budgetary and maintenance considerations would limit the range of feasible options to meet the desires of the community. Two options and a no option were presented.
Results from Survey 2(PDF, 517KB)
Visit the project page for more details about the previous public meetings, and survey responses.
Project Page