On Nov. 8, 2024, the Kristi Yamaguchi Rink in Bishop Ranch City Center was reopened to the public for another winter season of ice skating. Families have mentioned that ice skating was a great way to spend time with family and friends.
The ice rink directly contributes to the Kristi Yamaguchi Always Dream organization, which was founded to help families in need. It was established in 1996 and its mission is to ensure children from low-income families have access to high-quality books and extensive family engagement support.
The ice rink generally opens around November and closes in January. This year it opened on Nov. 8 and will run until Jan. 5. Since last year, there have been newly added activities that the community can participate in.
Kristi Yamaguchi hosts and creates many of the events offered at the ice rink. The motivation is to help sponsor her many organizations like the Always Dream organization. They also want to motivate people to ice skate at their rink.
“There’s always something exciting happening at the ice rink each year. There’s always new activities added to make the experience memorable for adults and kids,” Advika Ram [Ice Skates Hander] expressed.
Some newly added activities include the Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie doll event, the Kristi Skating Clinic, Glow Night and more. The main purpose of these events was to spread awareness and motivate people to come down and skate with them. The workers mentioned that at all the events so far, there was an enthusiastic environment all around.
“This is my first time working at the ice rink and it’s a really fun experience. Watching the kids’ enthusiasm to skate simply makes my day; they’re always so excited to have some fun,” Harshini Singh [Ticket Agent] said.
One of the ice rink’s popular activities is the Kristi Skating Clinic. Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi will be hosting a session about skating on Dec. 23 and she will be offering tips and tricks to be a successful skater on the ice.
“This is my second year working here and her tips and tricks are really useful to be more balanced on the ice. The activities and events she offers are truly inspiring and useful,” Ram expressed.
Families have mentioned that having a ice rink so close to their home is an advantage; not having to travel to the next city to provide their kids some enjoyment was a guilt they could get rid of.
“Before the ice rink was officially opened, we used to make plans and travel all the way to Lake Tahoe or Nevada to experience the winter weather. Now we can drive five minutes and we already have the feel of winter fun,” Rachel Wu [Parent] said.
Additionally, some have also expressed that ice skating was a way to spend time with family and friends, allowing them to come together and have fun.
“I feel like if you don’t have any plans for the holidays, the ice rink is a great way to fill the holes and make the festive season a much better and memorable experience with your families or friends,” Singh exclaimed.
Author’s Note: I had a lot of fun writing the article and learning about the Ice Rink and the activities they offer. Some things I would like to improve is my overall tone over the article and I feel like in some places, I have a lot of repetitive language.
