Area skaters will be able to hit the “ice” on Friday, Nov. 20 thanks to a $20,000 grant from Walmart. Earlier this week, the walls of the ice skating rink started to rise in the front parking lot of the Minden Civic Center, with crews working until late in the day on Wednesday to finish up a special igloo which will add to other seasonal decorations.

The rink features “synthetic” ice, which will allow for faster, easier maintenance and storage, and will allow the rink to be featured as part of downtown Minden’s Christmas attractions year after year.

A synthetic ice skating rink is a skating surface made from interlocking polyethylene panels—typically HDPE or UHMW‑PE—that allow standard metal-bladed skates to glide without refrigeration, water, or electricity. In other words, no high utilities for the City of Minden.

Skating hours will be from 5-10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon until 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. More information on rentals, birthday parties, lessons, and more will come before Nov. 20. (Photos by Marilyn Miller)