Skating ribbon could reopen in early March with new parts, city says

The Parks Department hopes to re-open Riverfront Park’s ice skating ribbon early in March after installation of new ice-making equipment this week.

The attraction, the first in a series of redeveloped features in the park, was shuttered Feb. 3 after discovery of an ammonia leak. Park officials said in a news release Friday a replacement part for the ice-making equipment has been installed and could be operational by the middle of next week, following safety tests.

Generating enough ice for the $10 million attraction takes four days, according to the news release. The skating season was originally scheduled to end March 4, but would likely be extended if the ice is brought back, officials have said.

The parts for the ribbon were under warranty, according to the Parks Department. The attraction was a big hit upon its debut in early December, earning $180,000 from 20,000 skaters before its closure. A woman fell on the ice Jan. 21 and later died from her injuries.