South Jordan recently opened its first ice skating rink in an effort to boost recreational opportunities and to entice residents to spend their money locally.
The free outdoor rink won't bring in any revenue. But city officials hope it will encourage citizens to seek entertainment at home rather than in neighboring communities.
"South Jordan is a fast-growing city with a lot of population, but we don't have a lot of recreational venues," said city manager Ricky Horst. "A lot of times our citizens will go to another city to go bowling or to watch a movie or whatever, and while they're there, they'll buy dinner and spend their money on other things."
Horst said the rink was built to increase spending locally and improve the lifestyle in South Jordan. The rink, which is located in the town center between the library and a shopping area, is expected to become a community gathering place — one of the first in the city.
"We have a lot of buildings, but we don't just want buildings, we want to build a community," he said.
There has always been a push from residents to build things like this, said Craig Thaxton, the rink's project manager. It should help strengthen the community atmosphere. Residents can use the rink daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
"We expect to have multiple activities and city functions around that area," Thaxton said. "We're hoping it will be a multi-use area."
The response has been positive so far with a large crowd turning out for the grand opening celebration and people skating at the rink every day since then, he said.
City officials say they expect residents to continue using the area even after the ice skating season ends. During the spring and summer months the rink will become a reflection pool with a fountain that shoots roughly 30 feet in the air.
Depending on the weather, the refrigeration-cooled rink is scheduled to remain open until mid-March, Thaxton said.
Skaters can warm up and put on their skates in a small facility next to the rink. Although the city does not offer skate rentals, it may do so in the future, Horst said. In that case, skaters may be charged to use the rink to cover the cost of staffing a skate-rental facility.
Construction on the $1.8 million project began in April. It was funded through new development and park impact fees.
E-mail: sbills@desnews.com