LITTLE ROCK — Ice can be a cold, hard teacher, but on Saturday, one would think children were falling into pits of pillows as they plopped down on their bottoms and burst into laughter at the grand opening of River Market on Ice.
It’s been about a decade since Little Rock last had an outdoor ice rink, and based on Saturday’s ticket sales - about 130 within the first hour and a half, according tothe rink’s manager - people are excited.
“It’s kinda hard, but fun though,” said Jacob Maechler, 18, from Mena. The burly football player wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and track pants seemed impervious to the cold, but stayed close to the wall lest his 12-year-old brother, Daniel, knock him down again.
“I only fell twice because my little brother ran me over,” he said.
Nearly the whole Maechler family was on the ice, where dad, Brian, zipped around with confidence as mom, Jennifer, took it more slowly though more gracefully than Jacob. The parents admit that they’d skated once or twice before as youngsters so they had some experience compared with their children who were first-timers.
Absent, however, was 16-year-old Ashley, who watched from the sidelines occasionally chatting with her older brother who stopped often at the wall in front of her.
“I’m scared,” Ashley said shyly. “I know I would fall. I’m not that coordinated.”
Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore watched proudly with Mayor Mark Stodola as Moore’s 4-year-old son, Luke, scooted around the ice for the first time. The men joked that the media had just missed seeing them on skates.
“It’s his first time, but he’s getting around pretty good,” Moore said of his son, noting that he wasn’t overly concerned about Luke acquiring a few bumps or bruises. “I padded him up real good this morning, but that’s part of the fun of it, getting out there and learning and enjoying it.”
Taking a moment to tout the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission and the Downtown Partnership for organizing the event, Moore and Stodola said they were pleased to see such aturnout.
“This is a great activity for holidays,” Stodola said. “We had it here 10 years ago, and it was very popular then. In fact, I was surprised at how popular it is.”
Skating will be available through Jan. 9 and costs $8 per person for those 5 and older. The price includes skates. Children 4 and under can skate for free with a paid adult admission. General hours for the rink will be 4-9 p.m.
Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Hours will change after Dec. 17 and for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
The Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission, Little Rock’s Downtown Partnership, the city itself and numerous financial sponsors, including Arvest Bank and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, made the event possible, said Gretchen Hall, a spokesman for the commission. Arkansas Skatium manages the rink.
Girls from the Diamond Edge Skating Club at the Skatium cut imposing figures as they jumped and spun around with ease. It takes a long time to develop such skill said R.J. David, one of the rink’s managers.
“After about eight weeks of classes you should be able to skate backwards,” he said.
“To do that,” he said pointing at one girl with her head back and arms extended upward in the midst of a dizzying spin, “you’d need three sets of eight-week classes. I just play hockey. I can’t spin like that.”
Brian Maechler admitted he was impressed with the girls’ skill.
“We were a little intimidated when we first started up with all the kids doing circles and stuff,” he said. “But it’s no fun if you don’t try.”
That sentiment was lost on Ashley.
Arkansas, Pages 17 on 11/21/2010