Skaters cool off on hot day during Mt. Lebanon Ice Center reopening party
Skaters enjoy a free session on the ice during the grand reopening party.
Getting ready to cut the ceremonial ribbon is Clara Sun of the Skating Club of Mt. Lebanon, flanked by Saturday learn-to-skate students Ellie Symonds, left, and Suaani Astkar.
Brayden Wertz takes the driver’s seat of a Zamboni machine that was on display outside the Mt. Lebanon Ice Rink during the Sept. 23 reopening event.
On what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year, Mt. Lebanon Ice Center was full of jackets, scarves, hats and gloves.
And of course, skates.
The center’s ice rink reopening party on Sept. 23, the first full day of fall, drew a full house of folks taking a break from mid-80s temperatures outside for a free session of skating inside, following a ceremonial ribbon cutting. Suitably dressed skaters Suaani Astkar and Ellie Symonds stretched the red ribbon across part of the 200-by-85-foot main rink, and Clara Sun of the Skating Club of Mt. Lebanon did the honors with the scissors.
The center closed March 5 to undergo renovations before opening again to the public on Sept. 5, well ahead of the anticipated Oct. 1 completion.
“Over the years, the rink’s defrost system below the ice surface failed and needed to be replaced,” said David Donnellan, Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department director.
The $1.74 million project also included replacing the concrete floors of the main rink and 60-by-80-foot studio rink, along with refurbishing the rinks’ dasher boards and replacing all of the rubber skate flooring throughout the facility.
“The recreation staff took advantage of this time to repaint the interior of the building to give it a fresh look,” Donnellan said.
Mt. Lebanon Ice Center, which originally opened in 1977, hosts activities including hockey for various age groups, a comprehensive instructional program and public skating.