Those looking to get outside and active this winter can make use of the city’s volunteer-run ice skating rink.

In order to make the rink more available to the public, Niles City Councilman Tim Skalla said he is in need of more volunteers to help run the ice skating rink.

Located in a fenced in area on East Front Street across from the skate park, the ice skating rink is free to use. People can use their own skates or borrow a pair from a warming house next to the rink.

“We have good ice and I hope it gets used often,” Skalla said. “We intend to find a way to make that happen.”

AEP is allowing the city to use the land and the building for ice skating.

There are currently 104 pairs of ice skates available at no charge. Volunteers are needed to help hand out the skates to the public. The Niles High School Key Club is currently helping out in this area, but Skalla said they need more volunteers in order to offer this service more often.

“We need volunteers to sign-up for a scheduled date and time to assist with the skates,” he said.

Those wishing to help should contact Skalla at (269) 362-3142 or email him at wskalla@sbcglobal.net.

The history of the ice skating rink goes back to 2005 when a group of volunteers and the City of Niles flooded a surface at Eastside Park. The area was cleared by snowplows and drenched with water.

In 2011, the ice rink was located on the west side of Front Street on city property south from Wonderland Theater. The City of Niles received a donation of sand to level out the ground to create a 60-by-100 foot ice rink, making the process more efficient for the winter seasons to come.

The rink is large enough to accommodate all types of ice-skating activity, including pick-up hockey games.

The ice rink is currently open for use.

Plans are to be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Christmas Break (Dec. 26 through Jan. 5) and on weekends during the season as weather-ice conditions permit. An evening skate is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 30.

For updates on the ice rink, visit the Niles Ice Rink page on Facebook.