One of the city’s most beloved winter traditions has been officially put on ice.
Electrical problems, caused by a blown transformer, are being blamed for the cancelation of ICE at Santa Monica.
“I’m here to give you the bad news that we’re not going to have an ice rink this year,” Kathleen Rawson, the head of Downtown Santa Monica Inc., told the City Council Tuesday.
This is the second year in a row without public skating.
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Social distancing requirement related to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the cancelation in 2020.
Rawson said it was “completely impossible” to obtain the parts needed to complete the repairs.
We have tried in every way, shape and form,” she said.
Council member Phil Brock indicated that the only way to move forward with the rink for this year would be to shorten the operating window to approximately six weeks and bring in diesel powered generators.
The following message has been posted on the official Downtown Santa Monica website:
Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. regrets to announce that Ice at Santa Monica will not return for the 2021-2022 season.
In January of 2021, the electrical infrastructure at the surface parking lot that serves as the home of Ice at Santa Monica was damaged substantially. DTSM has been working with Southern California Edison and the City of Santa Monica to obtain funding and the proper permits to perform repairs and purchase replacement parts. Unfortunately, these replacement parts will not be available in time for the start of the 2021-2022 Ice at Santa Monica season.
DTSM will repair the electrical infrastructure as soon as replacement parts arrive and look forward to welcoming skaters back in the fall of 2022.
Downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade will continue to host the official City of Santa Monica Holiday Tree and Promenade Menorah lightings this holiday season. DTSM is collaborating with the City of Santa Monica to host other community events at the Ice parking lot and will be announcing additional exciting holiday activities soon.
Public skating remains available at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo and at the other locations across Los Angeles.
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