Holland Ice Park opens next month, offering year-round fun

HOLLAND — After years of planning and construction, the highly anticipated Holland Ice Park is set to officially open its doors to the public next month, offering a new focal point for winter recreation in the heart of downtown Holland.

The $11.3 million park, located at the edge of Window on the Waterfront Park at the corner of Sixth Street and Central Avenue, will hold its grand opening at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14. The first public open skate session will follow at 6 p.m. that evening.

Big dream comes to fruition 

The park is the realization of a long-held community vision, significantly buoyed by a generous $1 million gift from the late Frank Kraai, a beloved former teacher and community member. The project also received major funding from the Jim Jurries Family, which donated $1 million.

• $800,000 through the Michigan Economic Development Corp. for the Revitalization and Placemaking Grant — RAP Grant.
• $50,000 through the MEDC for a Patronicity Grant, which was a matching grant that gave up to $50,000 for citizen donations to the project.

City council also designated approximately $4 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the Ice Park.  Between the donations, grants and state and federal dollars, about $9.5 million of the $11.5 million was covered, said Holland Mayor Nathan Bocks. 

An additional $9 million of street infrastructure improvements were made on Sixth Street between Columbia and River as part of the project, including snowmelt under the street between Columbia and College and the sidewalks from Columbia to River.  

That $9 million was reimbursed with Brownfield Redevelopment funds made possible because a brownfield plan was reopened due to Lakeshore Advantage's construction of the Next Center, which was completed in November 2024.

"All told, we were able to make $20.5 million in improvements along Sixth Street in the last few years using only $2 million of local tax dollars," Bocks said. 

"It is the city's belief that public investment in infrastructure drives private investment in development. We were able to turn $2 million of local tax dollars into over $20 million of improvements in an underutilized part of downtown," Bocks said.

"Not only are we expecting increased economic activity downtown, our residents have a beautiful new park and recreation facility, and surrounding properties are seeing increased development. It is truly a win, win, win."

Tickets on sale soon

The new facility is not a conventional ice rink, but rather a dynamic outdoor space featuring a skating ribbon, a separate ice pond and a dedicated curling sheet, designed to provide affordable winter activities for all ages.

Assistant City Manager Matt VanDyken previously heralded the facility as a unique draw for the region.

“It’s going to be very unique. There is nothing like this in Michigan,” VanDyken said. “It will have a positive impact not only on those who live here, but those who come to dine, shop and enjoy all we have to offer.”

While the November debut focuses on ice sports, the facility, which broke ground earlier this year, was engineered to be a year-round community hub. The concrete-based skate pond, for instance, is intended to serve as a children’s bike path during the warmer months. The city has already partnered with Velo Kids, a local nonprofit, to run bicycle programs at the park in the spring and summer.

The Ice Park is scheduled to operate Tuesday through Sunday during the winter season, which runs from Nov. 14 through March 15, weather permitting. Given the regional excitement, city officials are encouraging early booking for all sessions.

Tickets for the public open skate sessions, including the inaugural 6 p.m. skate on Nov. 14, will go on sale at hollandrecreation.com starting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28. All tickets must be purchased in advance online; no tickets will be sold on-site.

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Open skate tickets are $10 per person and include 90 minutes of ice time along with complimentary skate rental. Skaters bringing their own gear are still required to purchase a ticket.

For groups looking for a more specialized experience, the curling sheet will also be available for reservations. The 90-minute curling sessions, which coincide with open skate times, can accommodate up to eight individuals and are priced between $75 and $125, depending on the chosen date and time. 

Curling reservations must also be made separately and in advance through the city's recreation website.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.