On Monday, January 5, recreational hockey enthusiasts, those struggling to find balance, and even a few four-legged cold-weather fans enjoyed a rare day on the ice at Auburndale Cove, the only authorized outdoor skating area in Newton.
“I like outdoor skating better [than an indoor rink],” said Mae Franklin, 11, who came with her twin brother, dad and friends. “There’s a lot more room.”
The ice finally solidified enough on Friday, January 2, to allow skaters to glide with confidence across this Auburndale section of the Charles River. The City tests the strength of the ice at the Cove every day by drilling a hole to measure its thickness, according to Stephanie Lapham, recreation manager for the Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.
Hugh Polley, 12, and his father John brought their skates and hockey sticks from their Cambridge home for a second time this week to enjoy the crisp air and open space at the Cove.
“Outdoor skating is just really fun,” said John Polley.
Lapham, a skater herself, staffed the Cove’s comfortable fieldhouse. The small building provided not only a warm place to lace up skates. It also offered indoor bathrooms, which are not available at most other Newton parks. However, you won’t find rental skates or hockey equipment there, so remember to bring your own.
Resident Jerry Caira and his friendly dog Remy stopped in and chatted with Lapham about the differences between skating at the Cove nowadays compared with decades past.
“Years ago …[the Cove outdoor ice-skating area] stayed open quite a while,” recalled Caira.
“There used to be a lot of people,” said Lapham. Crowds were greater in the past because the skating season was much longer, but there still were a good number of enthusiasts at the Cove over the past weekend.
Lapham said the City used to clear the equivalent of 5-6 hockey rinks over the frozen water to be used by hundreds of people. Nowadays, the amount of cleared ice is still impressive compared with a standard indoor rink, but it is far smaller than when Lapham and Caira were younger.
Nonetheless, several children coming to enjoy the outdoors and the feeling of gliding over frozen water gave the experience a thumbs-up.
“It’s great,” said Jeb Franklin, Mae’s twin brother. An experienced hockey player, he recommended stopping by because it offers the chance to “improve your skating” with more practice.
“We had a lot of fun,” said Hugh Polley.
Years ago, ice skating was popular also on Bullough’s Pond, but the City now discourages skating there because the ice is now thinner due to silting over the years, reducing the depth of the pond and causing water to flow more quickly.
More information
The City warns that “There is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice,” and to “skate at your own risk.” For daily ice updates, hours, location, and more information on ice skating at the Auburndale Cove, visit https://www.newtonma.gov/government/parks-recreation-culture/recreation-programs/public-outdoor-skating
