City breaks ground on much-anticipated Holland Ice Park
HOLLAND — Community members gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Holland Ice Park on Tuesday, April 23.
It’s a project largely made possible by the generosity of the community, including a $1 million donation from former educator Frank Kraai and another $1 million donation from the Jim Jurries Family — helping cover the total cost of $11,364,953.
The groundbreaking event included a presentation from Mayor Nathan Bocks, along with words from Kraai, whose donation kicked off planning.
“I shiver with joy,” Kraai said Tuesday. “Everything about it, it’s almost hard to comprehend. I hope I live two more years so I can put on my skates when it’s all done and go around once at least. This is an impossible dream that has come true.”
Included in the overall cost is the ice rink, a curling rink, fire pits, landscaping, restrooms, lighting and tools needed for operations — plus a refrigeration system that acts similarly to Holland’s snowmelt system, but cools rather than heats. The tubing will guarantee ice November through March.
While the ice rink is the main attraction, Bocks said the park will serve as a year-round gathering space for locals and tourists.
“Holland is a great spring, summer, and fall destination,” Bocks said. “In the winter, we have over a mile of street and five miles of sidewalks that are heated, but not a lot of activities for folks to do.
"We think this ice skating park is ... going to make Holland, Michigan, a four-season destination.”
Construction on the rink is expected to take at least 12 months, meaning there will be no skating next winter.
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Kraai, who is 88-years-old and lives locally at Freedom Village, thanked Bocks, Holland City Council and many others during his presentation and said donating the money was meaningful and close to his heart.
"I'm broke now," Kraai joked. "... but I had so much fun giving money away and I think it was the best thing I ever did."
— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: City breaks ground on much-anticipated Holland Ice Park
