The Christmas snow has disappeared from the Ridge in Shimla but the thick layer of ice is luring the tourists once again in the Asia’s oldest natural skating rink. The layer of ice, which appeared about three days back, heralded the ice onset of ice skating season. But its thickening now is attracting nearly a hundred skaters daily.
Bhuvnesh Banga, Secretary, Skating Club says, due to dip in temperature on Saturday night, a natural layer of thick ice surfaced for the first time in the rink, indicating the onset of freezing winter. The authorities find it high time to start ice skating season, which had already been delayed by nearly twenty days this winter.
Banga says the skating rink can accommodate nearly 400 skaters. As of now, we are holding one session. The number of sessions is expected to increase to two very soon, with more tourists coming to the hill state around the New Year.
A balloon atop the Municipal Corporation building announces the beginning of the skating season as you stroll between the Mall and the Ridge. “The season started about twenty days late due to delay in the onset of winters, but we plan to make up for it by continuing the skating upto February,” said Banga, adding that snowfall has nothing to do with it.
Though the temperature has risen in previous two nights, as it was recorded 6.9 on the intervening night of December 26-27. “Even if it does not snow in near future, the skating would continue due to the freezing of water on the rink.” said Banga. The club established in 1920, organises Skating carnival in the rink every year in the month of January. Club provides Skates at the rink and a nominal rent is charged for the same, said Banga.
The Ice skating Rink christened as the ‘Simla Ice skating Club’, established as far back as 1920 by Blessington, a Britisher. Those days the tennis courts were converted into ice skating rink during winters. Simla Ice Skating Club was the first to be established in India and the only of its kind in whole of South East Asia. Even till this day the club has retained an envious position on the sports map of South East Asia. During the British era the Club only permitted Europeans to be its members.