Denison on Ice makes return for 2023-2024

Herald Democrat
By Michael Hutchins, Herald Democrat
August 18, 2023

The holiday season in quickly approaching, and the city of Denison is preparing for one of its annual traditions to come with it. Last week, the Denison City Council approved a series of agreements and contracts for the return of Denison on Ice — the city’s annual outdoor ice rink and Christmas celebrations.

This year will mark the eighth year that the city has hosted ice skating in downtown for the holidays. Last year, the event, which extends from late November through early January, brought more than 10,000 people to downtown Denison for the holiday festivities.

“Let’s get ready for another high-level experience event, another spectacular year for DOI,” Parks and Recreation Director Justin Eastwood said.

This year’s festivities are currently scheduled to run from Nov. 18 through Jan. 7, 2024. The rink will be open from 11 a.m. through 9 p.m. weekends and days when school is out of session, and 5-9 p.m. school days.

The rink will also be closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

In a quiet action, the council approved two agreements related to the annual event as a part of its recent consent agenda. The agenda is made up of routine or non-controversial items that are acted upon in a single vote without individual discussion.

The first agreement secured the traditional location for Denison on Ice through a lease agreement with RadioVision. The agreement will allow the event to use the parking lot at 530 W. Main for the annual event. As a part of the agreement, the city agreed to pay RadioVision $3,000 for the use of the property.

Under the terms of the agreement, the city will be able to use the lot from Oct. 23 through Feb. 4, 2024. This will allow for site setup, construction and removal of the rink.

Under the second agreement, the city agreed to pay IRE Crown Rinks, LLC $120,975 for the rental, installation and removal of the rink. Eastwood said the rink the city will use will be about 5,000 square feet of space and have a capacity of about 140 skaters, but he said the city does not expect to bring the rink to capacity during the event.

“Denison on Ice is an event where we transform one of our open spaces into essentially a winter wonderland,” Eastwood said. “We are providing an ice rink that is roughly 5,000 square feet.”

Eastwood could not speak directly on programming for this year’s event as staff are still working to design it. However, he said the event will continue to be covered with a tent, which has given some relief from outside weather and helped keep the ice solid during the Texas fall and winter.

While little has been solidified in programming, Eastwood said planners are including adaptive times with less traffic in the schedule for skaters who have mobility issues.

Eastwood said the event has been a boon for the city since it began eight years ago, and it is an important marketing tool for the city and downtown itself. By bringing people into the community through ice skating, Eastwood said the city is also exposing them to what downtown has to offer in hopes that they will spend time in the business district and visit the shops and restaurants it has to offer.

“It brings people to the businesses and our downtown area as foot traffic increases,” he said. “So, there is a hope that people will explore the businesses we have to offer, visit the restaurants and stores.

“It is hard to quantify the exact influence, but feedback from our downtown business owners has been resoundingly positive as a testament to the event’s ability as well as how it integrates into the community.”

Last year, the event saw visitors from 37 different states and other countries. Over the years, the event has seen visitors from as far away as Kenya and Australia, Eastwood said.

“I encourage people to come out and to visit the Denison on Ice event and what downtown has to offer and the wonderful experiences of our annual event,” he said.