Year Round Ice Skating in Boston, MA?

[sunshinepointe]

I recently moved to Boston (well, Cambridge to be technical) from Florida where I was fortunate enough to have 4 rinks within driving distance. Now in Cambridge I haven't been able to find a rink to save my life - at least not one that is open year round. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to go to get my skating fix? I'm also looking to take lessons (group and private) because it's been quite some time since I last skated. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[blue111moon]

SC of Boston in Brighton is open year round, although I don't know if their group lessons run all year. They do close for a week or so in June but that's about it.

Moving outside the city limits, Hayden in Lexington, Hingham in Walpole and New England Sports Center in Marlboro are all open year round. I'm pretty sure there are more besides.

You can also check FMC Arenas website for the rinks they manage. I know some of them are open year round but I don't know which ones are closest to Boston or which ones have year-round groups programs running.

Haverill-Salem in New Hampshire is an easy commute and there's North Shore in Reading (?) as well. The Bog down in Kingston is open.

And those are just the ones off the top of my head....

[icedancer2]

I haven't lived in Cambridge for 15 years but I do remember it was a little harder to find ice in the summer than during the winter months - SCOB is open but you have to be a member to skate at most of their sessions, although they do have a couple of pretty wild public sessions (very popular on those hot summer days/night).

I used to go up to Newburyport sometimes in the summer and also I think Peabody - easy drives once you get used to the area. Hayden (Lexington) is open but you have to be a member...

My favorite rink was the Pilgrim Ice arena in Hingham - about a 1/2 hour drive south of the city - they have a great ice-dance session at noon several days a week...

I know this probably has not been helpful...
:giveup:

[rlichtefeld]

http://www.arenamaps.com/

When I put in Cambridge. MA, it came up with 39 rinks. At least that's a start.

Rob

[RoaringSkates]

There's the rink that's the home of the Colonial FSC, I think it's in Acton? That's open all year. I believe the rink in Saugus, the new one, is open all year, isn't it?

I believe that MIT, Harvard, BU and UMass Boston all have ice rinks on campus, but I don't know if they're open to the public.

[looplover]

MIT's is open to the public but it's seasonal.

(I checked this same issue out when I thought I was moving to Boston - didn't get the job)

I think that one of the FMC arenas is open year round...maybe one near Revere?

[Stormy]

Many of the FMC rinks are open year round. I skate in Natick, MA and we're open all year. Trust me, there's plenty of all year rinks in MA! :)

[blue111moon]

If you go to the FMC Arenas site, and click on "Skating in the Shade" you'll get a pdf file with a list of the FMC rinks that are offering free public skating on weekends this summer. So all of those, at least are open now.

[sunshinepointe]

Thank you all so much for the quick and informational replies. I've been dying to get back to the ice and I was actually surprised that given it being a large city in a northeastern state how few rinks I could find. I'll definitely make a few phone calls and hopefully be back to skating soon. Thanks!

[cecealias]

MIT's rink is not so open as easily to the public now, as there is now management for the athletic facilities to control access. Yes it is also seasonal, something between october and march and the hours are pretty limited.

The only summer rink you'll find within the Boston metro area open year round is Skating Club of Boston - something I had to resort to when I visited cambridge in the summers and they are hecka expensive. (This is also why I live in the SF bay area now... it's just THAT much easier to train year round instead of Boston)

There are other rinks but expect at least a 40 minute drive out on the turnpikes and pay toll, etc. For example Babson's rink is open in the summer but it takes quite a drive and 2 toll booths to get there. Same goes for the New England sports center, and also the Colonial rink in Acton/Boxborough (1 hr + drive at times from cambridge - and yes i lived in cambridge) -- a ways a way. You'll probably end up spending more time in the car than on the ice, but if you have the time and extra money to burn gas, then go for it.

You will also find in East Cambridge that there is new Kendall rink that is open from November on to about Februrary, but basically if you want to train in Boston, it's mostly about 6-8 months of the year seasonal and most people are Rec skaters.

If you are going to get super serious, and require training in the 3 hottest months of the summer, you'll have to go to SCOB, on the Allston side of Boston, which is impeccably maintained but expect to pay an arm and a leg if you want to train there year round. You can take the bus from Harvard sq over the bridge to get there if you need mass transit, or drive.

If you are interested in joining the MIT skating club - which provides figure and dance ice, PM me for more information, I can put you in touch with my alma mater.

[Stormy]

But there's FMC rinks that you don't have to drive forever to get to, like East Boston, Everett, Revere. There's a rink in Arlington which is literally next door to Cambridge.

[blue111moon]

Maybe 20 years ago, SCoB was the only place open in the summer, but that's changed a lot, especially in the last 3- 5 years.

There are many more places to skate summers than there used to be, if you look for them.