Groundbreaking for Holland Community Ice Park Done on Tuesday

Apr. 23, 2024; Holland, MI, USA; Dignitaries turn over shovels of dirt for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Holland Community Ice Rink at Window on the Waterfront Park. Mandatory Credit: Gary Stevens-Midwest Communications

HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Apr. 23, 2024) – A day long-awaited by many in the Holland area arrived on Tuesday.

Ground was ceremonially broken on an $11.3 million Community Ice Park, to be built on the grounds of the Window on the Waterfront Park near the corner of East 6th Street and College Avenue. The ribbon-designed permanent artificial ice surface will be augmented by a curling rink, an accessory building, and accommodations for skate rentals and refreshments.

An effort financed primarily through fundraising was seeded by a $1 million grant from philanthropist Frank Kraai, whose vision of the project was as much a driving force as his financial gift.

It will be more than just a winter playground, according to Mayor Nathan Bocks.

Land for the project was cleared last year by the tearing down of a Holland BPW substation adjacent to the Tulip Plantings site. City officials say that the Community Ice Park should be ready for its first skaters by the winter of 2025-26.