At the opening of the Ottawa Park Outdoor Ice Rink this season, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz announced the city’s affiliation with Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter, which is now providing management and programming services for the 53-year-old recreation facility. Toledo City Council voted unanimously to accept the affiliation. “This just makes good sense,” noted Mayor Kapszukiewicz. “Management and programming is what the Tam-O-Shanter people do.”
According to Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter Sports Hockey Director Mike Mankowski, this opportunity began as a casual conversation with the Toledo mayor at the Sylvania facility. “We were talking about skating and how to grow hockey in the area and the idea just grew from there,” he stated.
In addition to the new affiliation, the Toledo mayor pointed out a new chiller system and a new floor, both of which were recently installed and provide more consistent and smooth ice. “This agreement with Tam-O-Shanter and the new chiller system has resulted in about a six-week earlier opening, too,” the mayor said. “This is one of those hidden gems in the area. It’s the only public open-air ice rink in northwest Ohio and possibly in the state of Ohio.”
The Tam-O-Shanter team has been assessing the needed capital improvements to the facility. “The weather has cooperated and we were ready for the Dec. 20 opening. It is great to see so many different people on the ice,” Mankowski said. “We do offer skating for everyone. There are times for open skate, hockey league games and practice, broom ball, and sled hockey. There are also many events scheduled during the summer, as well.”
Hours are Monday through Friday, 4 to 9 pm; Friday, 2 to 10 pm and Saturday and Sunday, 8 am to 9 pm. The rink is available for private rentals outside of normal business hours and is lighted for night-time skating. Skate rental and sharpening services are available in the adjacent shelter house, which also provides changing rooms and restrooms as well as the indoor Rink Cafe.
The rink is on Ottawa Parkway just off Bancroft Street.
For rink rental, contact Dawn Cousino 419-936-2700 or dawn.cousino@toledo.oh.gov.
