State-of-the-Art Ice Rink Unveiled at the Grove

Local Partnership Delivers Extra Holiday Joy this Season

Boise, Idaho – A new holiday tradition in downtown Boise welcomed its first guests to glide into the season of joy. The Boise Downtown Association in partnership with The Idaho Steelheads hockey team, Boise Parks and Recreation, ESI Express, and Ball Ventures Alquist (BVA), unveiled Glide on Grove last Friday in conjunction with the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

A 76 x 72-ft. synthetic ice rink surrounds the city’s Christmas tree on the Grove Plaza. This gift to the city, encouraged by Mayor Lauren McLean, opened to the public on November 24th as the tree lights were set aglow for the first time this year. Over the past 10 days, ESI Express turned the sponsors’ and the city’s vision into reality as the holiday spirit spread throughout the Treasure Valley and the Gem State.

The unique ice-skating rink, which is free to the public and includes a skate rental, features a synthetic ice surface that has a ten-year lifespan. The surface material, which is being introduced to the Treasure Valley for the first time, looks and feels like real ice. The ESI Express team seamlessly installed the 4 x 8-ft. “ice” sheets on a raised platform to give guests a truly unique experience.

The cutting-edge solid polymer is only 5/8-in. thick and is used by Olympians and NHL hockey players who typically train in warmer climates. The surface is so resilient that skaters can use their normal metal-bladed ice skates. It is estimated that synthetic ice has 90% of the glide factor of natural ice, so most guests will feel like they are skating on the real thing. Synthetic ice is also an environmentally friendly alternative to using real ice since it does not require electricity, water, or refrigeration to maintain. ?

Glide on Grove is open to the public through January 28th. Stay tuned for holly-jolly happenings over the coming days as a variety of activities and events are planned such as skating lessons, ice shows, live music, and more. The rink will also be available for private rentals and parties.