By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The City of Niles is hoping to have a public ice-skating rink this winter at Eastside Park.
Joe Ray, assistant public works director for Niles, said earlier this week a large part of the east end of the park was cleared by snow plows and drenched with water by the Niles Fire Department. The intent was to freeze the ground to set the first layer of ice, but the midweek snowfall, which insulates the ground, melted any ice that did form.
"It's going to take some time," Ray said of creating a surface smooth and consistent enough to skate. "I think if we could get a couple of good inches of ice and have fairly normal weather, hopefully it will last all winter."
Ray also said multiple layers of ice are necessary to make a good skating surface, and warned any use of the ice before its finished could ruin the surface for the rest of the season.
Niles resident Larry Allen approached the city about the project, Ray said, and has a group of volunteers ready to help. Ray said there is a clay base under the soil in the area cleared for the rink that should help hold water above ground.
Once completed, the skating area would be a free but un-staffed facility for the public.