A shuttered, iconic ice skating rink on Del Paso Boulevard will receive more than a million dollars in City funding so it can be restored for public use and operated year round.
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a $1.2 million forgivable loan agreement to repair its roof and make other improvements.
“Iceland Ice Skating Rink has been a landmark of Del Paso Boulevard,” said Councilmember Sean Loloee, who represents the district. “I am very excited to be working with the wonderful operator and property owner who have taken these extra steps to see what they can give back to the community. And this ice-skating rink is the biggest gift that can be given back to the community.”
The Iceland Ice Skating Rink opened in 1940 on Del Paso Boulevard. In 2010, the rink was closed by an arson fire, but it reopened later that year following fundraising efforts as well as the work of hundreds of volunteers who contributed more than 20,000 hours of labor to restore the facility.
However, the rink’s wooden roof could not be saved. Following the fire, Iceland operated as a seasonal outdoor rink for almost a decade before being forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The recently approved funding includes a more than $1.2 million forgivable loan to go toward a new metal roof and structural improvements.
Funded in part Measure U, the loan comes with annual requirements Iceland must meet, including:
- Maintain the property
- Operate a minimum of 2,000 hours, with hours dedicated to public skating, private lessons, shows, tournaments, and other programming
- Provide 250 skate school scholarships to District 2 students
- Serve 30,000 skaters
The agreement also includes another $125,000 loan that is not forgivable. It is for improving the building’s art deco façade, with funds coming from the American Rescue Plan Act North Sacramento Recovery Plan.
“With a new roof structure, the rink could operate yea round, serving up to 50,000 people annually, and façade improvements will improve the physical appearance of the shuttered business, said the City’s Development Project Manager Amanda Wallace. “Revitalization of this critical North Sacramento landmark presents a great opportunity to activate the boulevard, and is something the community has long awaited.”