Got a job offer in Framingham, and a promise from new employer's HR department that I can continue spending my lunch breaks on ice, as I have for past several years. Checking out rinks in and around Framingham, and came up with list:

Loring Arena
William L. Chase Arena
Babson Skating Center
Navin Skating Arena
North Star Youth Forum
Norfolk Arena
New England Sports Ctr
Valley Sports Inc
Veterans Skating Arena
John A. Ryan Skating Arena
Nashoba Valley Olympia

Curtesy of http://www.rinktime.com.

I've skated at Navin Arena, Nashoba Valley Olympia, and New England Sports Center. Expect I'll be checking out the rest of the list in the near future. Anyone here have any feedback on any of these rinks?

Thanks!
W Letendre

I live about 5 min from Loring, as well as the Chase arena in Natick. Depending on where you are in Framingham, both should be VERY close to you. However, I don't think Chase in Natick has lunchtime ice. Loring, I am not sure, but it is closed for the summer. Chase is a state rink and I skate there every weekend. Loring I teach at during the winter, and it is COLD. It's ok as rinks go. None of the others you'd be able to get to while on a lunch break. Hope that helps, neighbor!

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

North Star Youth Forum is a privately owned mainly hockey rink (the owners are a hockey group). They have a figure-skating club there and the Central Mass Skating School which offer figure skating ice times. I don't think they have public sessions there though.

I haven't been there in a few years but I remember it as being very cold and damp-feeling. The Ladies Room was toasty-warm, though.