Lakeside ice rinks open in Prospect Park

Lace up your ice skates and get ready to embrace your inner child all winter long now that Prospect Park’s new Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Center at Lakeside has just opened.

The 26-acre Center features two permanent rinks—one covered, one uncovered, both outdoors with glorious views of the park’s tree line—as well as a café, rooftop dining, community space, picnic tables, lockers and changing rooms, 24-hour security and more, all situated right next to Prospect Park Lake, which can be toured via pedal boats and other water sport gear.

Designed to provide year-round recreational activity in winter, as well as spring and summer, months, the nearly 32,000-square-feet of combined natural ice on the side-by-side rinks can be utilized as a roller skating rink, outdoor concert space, and water play space in warmer weather.

“After years of hard work, our dream to restore the southeast corner of the park into an accessible year-round destination for all New Yorkers that stays true to the original Olmsted and Vaux vision is finally here,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Emily Lloyd. “

The LeFrak Center at Lakeside is also intended as a hub for non-skating winter fun, with regular family-friendly performances, workshops and other activities being planned every weekend.

December 21-22’s opening weekend alone will include lessons in ice cream churning, origami-making, and winter-themed arts and crafts, yoga, theater workshops and more. There will also be ice golf and curling demonstrations, book readings, face painting, and live shows from Rolie Polie Guacamole, Mil’s Trills Brooklyn Youth Marching Band, Puppetsburg, and Frolic!.

The Center is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Access to the Center is free. Access to the rinks cost $6/$8 on weekdays/weekends, and skate rentals cost $5 each for skates and optional helmets.

Parking is currently limited to neighboring streets and five local parking garages, but the Center will open its own parking lot in Spring 2014.

For more details, visit www.prospectpark.org.