UNION COUNTY, Pa. — Frigid temps over the weekend made it almost unbearable to go outside, but the weather was good for one thing Union County's outdoor ice rink.
The conditions were perfect to open Buffalo Valley Recreation Authority's skating rink near Lewisburg.
"Everything is weather-dependent here. We need good cold nights to freeze the ice down about 3-4 inches thick, so it's safe for the kids to get on," Jack Fisher said.
This is the first day of the season for the outdoor ice rink. Word spread quickly that it was open.
"It sounds really fun. Do you like ice skating? Yeah," Lily Peterson said.
"She's been asking all week when the rink is open. We thought it wouldn't open for another couple of weeks, but we were happy to see the post today that it was open," Ronni Peterson said.
Skate rentals and hot chocolate are also free.
"We lounged all morning and thought we had to get out of the house and do something. We drove by and walked right in," Lauren Gemberling said.
The Gemberling family is visiting the Lewisburg area for Christmas.
"We're so lucky. I looked everywhere for outdoor ice skating, and there's nothing like this in the area. We were really lucky that this worked out. Everybody seems to be getting their energy out today," Gemberling said.
The goal is for the rink to be open from 12-5 for the rest of the week, but that, of course, depends on the weather.
"They're saying it's going to get warmer, so we'll just have to wait and see, but the warm weather is not good for the ice," Fisher said.
To find out if the rink is open each day, you can check out the Buffalo Valley Recreation Authority's Facebook page.
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