The Neutral Zone; Rexburg ice rink grand opening planned for President’s Day

REXBURG — Rexburg’s city ice rink will officially celebrate its grand opening on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 16, with an afternoon of activities, performances and discounted public skating.

The Neutral Zone ice rink is located at 52 West 2nd North, next to the city’s Rexburg Rapids waterpark.

Opening day will begin at 2 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and continue through the evening. From 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Idaho Falls Figure Skating Club will perform on the ice. The mascot of the Idaho Falls Spud Kings hockey team will also be in attendance from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

After that, the rink will host games and interactive activities for families until 6 p.m.

“There will be discounts for our public skating from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. that night,” said Parker Anderson, Rexburg’s event and facility manager. “It’s going to be a buy-one, get-one for the public.”

Regular pricing for skating rental and admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children, and $10 for seniors.

An afternoon packed with fun activities

There is no age limit for participation in the afternoon activities. While final details are still being worked out, Anderson said there will be prizes.

“We do have a few door prizes,” he said. “There will be something, though, for sure.”

In addition to the games and performances, tours of the building will be offered throughout the afternoon.

“From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., we’ll be offering tours of the building,” Anderson said.

Community members will also have the chance to learn about local skating and hockey programs. Representatives from the Idaho Falls Figure Skating Club and the Rexburg Youth Hockey Association will be available in party rooms to answer questions and help families get involved.

“I would invite the public to come in and check them out and ask questions,” Anderson said.

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A place for community

The facility can hold around 600 people in total, including seating and other areas. The ice itself can accommodate roughly 300 skaters at a time.

The rink is already being used for a variety of events, including hockey games and figure skating.

“It’s already being used for hockey games,” Anderson said. “We’re hosting state tournaments the weekend after the grand opening.”

Public skating remains one of the main attractions, but the city sees many possibilities for the future.

“We’re so excited,” Anderson said. “There are so many uses that we can have from a building like this. It’s very exciting.”

The rink is open Monday through Friday from noon to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Anderson said the city plans to run the rink year-round.

Residents are encouraged to stop by, whether for the grand opening celebration or for regular skating sessions.

“It’s going to be a good time,” Anderson said.

The Neutral Zone donated anonymously

The rink has been operating since September under private ownership as The Neutral Zone, but at the beginning of February, the facility was officially donated to the City of Rexburg.

“It’s been a private rink since September of last year,” Anderson explained. “At the beginning of February, it was turned over to the city, and from that point on, it’s now city-owned and operated.”

The donor of the skating rink requested anonymity, and city leaders have expressed gratitude for the gift and will keep the facility’s original name.

“It’s just nice of them to give us the building itself,” Anderson said. “Let’s use it to the best of our ability to try to maximize that space.