As the city of Grand Forks and state of North Dakota continues through the winter months finding little to no reprieve from cold weather heading into February, a series of polar vortexes have swept over the area maintaining temperatures well-below freezing. This perfect storm of cold weather and low temperatures presents the ideal conditions for outdoor rinks and winter activities on campus.   

Thanks to the hard work of members of the Grand Forks Park District, there are over ten different outdoor skating rinks that are maintained and free to the public for recreational use.  These locations include University Park’s outdoor rink, which is less than a mile off campus and is easily accessible for students and community members alike. You can visit the Grand Forks Parks Districts’ webpage for the published hours that the rinks are open at gfparks.org and when sticks or pucks are allowed on the ice for recreational hockey use.  

As these are public rinks, it is expected that you will bring your own skates, and rentals are not offered at any of the locations. However, if you are a student at UND you can go ahead and visit the Wellness Center on campus and head over to The Outpost, an all-inclusive facility that is open to the public for renting outdoor equipment including ice skates and miscellaneous winter gear. As per Wellness Center policy, you can take rentals out for as long that you wish and will be charged on a day-to-day basis up until the return of the equipment, making it a viable option for many students who do not own or possess winter gear.   

For those of you who are less accustomed to hockey and are looking for a cozy and safe space to go out and skate with friends, the Town Square Ice Rink located in downtown Grand Forks may be the perfect location for you. During the winter months, rink hours are open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the weekends. Offering a more casual and family-oriented experience, the outdoor rink that is downtown makes for the perfect night out with friends over the weekend following a good meal.  

Enjoy the cold weather while you can and be sure to head out and visit one of the public outdoor rinks that are offered in Grand Forks this winter season because warmer weather and longer days are just around the corner.  

Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].