McCarren Park

McCarren Rink Opens For The Winter Skating Season

Tuesday, November 18, 2014
No.
http://www.nyc.gov/parks

NYC Parks, Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) and Upsilon Adventures announce the seasonal opening of the McCarren Rink for its second year. The rink, which opened to the public on Saturday, November 15th, is North Brooklyn’s ultimate destination for winter fun, offering skating classes, clinics and demonstrations, in addition to providing skate rentals and skate sharpening.
“We are thrilled to welcome back McCarren Rink again this season,” said Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP. “The rink is a beloved neighborhood destination during the winter months, and it offers a fun and exciting way to stay active and enjoy the cold weather. Parks would like to thank the Open Space Alliance for their partnership and all of their support with this wonderful addition to the North Brooklyn community.”

"Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn is delighted to be bringing back McCarren Rink, now a premier winter destination and new holiday tradition for the residents of North Brooklyn" said Ed Janoff, Administrator of North Brooklyn Parks and Executive Director of OSA. "McCarren Rink is something we hope to build on each year. This season the ice is 25% bigger, and now will be offering free admission for children from 4pm to 7pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

Sar Inbar and Itai Shoffman, Principals at Upsilon Ventures, see McCarren Rink as becoming a winter destination and an integral part of North Brooklyn’s winter scene for years to come. “Through our great partnership with NYC Parks and OSA, Upsilon Ventures is excited to bring this seasonal attraction to the North Brooklyn community. In addition to offering the current lineup of recreational skating, programs, clinics, and lessons, we intend to grow and improve upon this amenity year over year. Our combined vision, backed by our firm’s human and financial resources, is to create a winter tradition at McCarren Park that generations of residents will enjoy,” said Sar Inbar.

McCarren Rink is installed on top of the "beach” area of the pool deck, and measures 60 feet wide by 150 feet long. It offers a total of 9,000 square feet of natural ice skating surface. The rink will be open Mondays through Fridays, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., through January 4, 2015. Admission is $11 for adults, $6 for children, with group discounts and party packages available. Skate rentals will be available for $6. There will also be packaged food and refreshments available.
As North Brooklyn’s only outdoor ice skating experience, McCarren Rink offers a seasonal recreational outlet for both adults and children. Now in its second year of operation, McCarren Rink has become a treasured winter destination for the residents of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, and beyond. After welcoming nearly 25,000 visitors last year, this season is expected to result in an even larger turnout in the community.
Located within the 35-acre McCarren Park, McCarren Pool was one of 11 pools opened by Robert Moses in 1936. It closed in 1984 and sat unused until the summer of 2005, when the empty pool basin opened as a venue for concerts, dance, and movies. In June 2012, the pool was reopened after a $50 million renovation. The rehabilitation of McCarren Pool preserved the historic bathhouse building and entry arch and created a brand new swimming pool and recreation center. The pool was also designed to accommodate an ice skating rink in the winter.
OSA is proud to bring this exciting amenity to residents and visitors in North Brooklyn in partnership with Upsilon Ventures and NYC Parks. In the way the pool has provided an outlet for recreation and family fun in the summer months, McCarren Rink will provide the same services for this community during the colder months of November through January.
About:
Upsilon Ventures
Established in 2002, Upsilon Ventures, LLC is a project development, marketing, hospitality, and production firm specializing in public-private partnerships and the utilization of public spaces and real estate for iconic consumer engagement and sponsor activation.
Providing complete turnkey services, inclusive of venue operations, hospitality management, community programming and brand activation, Upsilon Ventures creates permanent and semi-permanent marketing platforms, innovative attractions, and temporary retail installations that continue to receive public praise and international acclaim.
Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn

Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that works with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, elected officials, and our community to maintain, activate, enhance, and expand parks and public spaces in North Brooklyn. More information can be found at www.osanb.org.
OSA is modeled after other successful conservancies, working with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, elected officials, and the community to maintain, activate, enhance, and expand local parks.