Ice rink to be open for Bratislava until the end of February
The city ice skating rink was officially opened on the 15th of January 2011 at 18:00 by the chairman of Bratislava council Pavol Frešo, Bratislava mayor Milan Ftáčnik, Skoda Slovakia manager Robert Baumgartner and the 2011 IIHF World Championship Organizing Committee chairman Igor Nemeček. “We are really glad that the city and Skoda Auto Slovakia have done something good for the people of Bratislava which also serves to promote the upcoming championship," said Igor Nemeček – who whistled in the first symbolic face-off.
The ice rink on the main square is open to the public every day between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. until the 28th of February 2011. An interesting accompanying program has been prepared for weekends between 6 and 10 p.m., including the chance to win a Skoda for the whole weekend or Championship tickets. Every Saturday and Sunday between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. parents can improve their children’s skating abilities under the watchful eye of ice hockey trainers and ice skaters.
The Yeti event mascot will also be present, teaching children dance choreography every Saturday between 10 a.m. and 1:30. A carnival on ice is also to take place as well as a Valentine’s day event. Skate rental will also be available along with a heated tent with refreshments.
Skoda Auto is the 2011 IIHF World Championship (Slovakia 29.4 – 15.5) general sponsor. This will be the nineteenth time the company has appeared at the event in this role, making it the longest main sponsor of a world championship event and resulting in Skoda being officially listed in the Guinness book of records in 2007.
“This is the kind of thing that belongs in a capital city. If you go to Vienna, Budapest or other European cities you are sure to find an ice rink. And our rink is something like an invitation to this year's world championship." stated Ftáčnik.
The city is to contribute a sum of 10 000 Euros to the overall project costs in order to cover expenses and water supplies for the rink, electricity and cleaning at the site. The remaining expenses are to be covered by private investors.
“If you imagine that the whole event and the rink for the given duration costs 180 000 Euros, the 10 000 is a contribution which currently represents the city's abilities." said the mayor. The use of cooling technology allows the rink to be operational in temperatures of up to 15 degrees Celsius. Use of the ice rink is free of charge.
