Skating through life

Helena skaters looking to cut some ice have plenty of choices, with several outdoor rinks and an ice arena in town.

Ice skating is a combination of strength and beauty. Two sharp steel blades connect the skater to the ice. With a whisper, kinetic energy powers the skater gracefully and effortlessly across the ice.

Figure skating is the premier showcase sport of the Winter Olympics. Speed skating and hockey with all their power and popularity have been pushing for the top spots as well. These exceptionally skilled athletes make ice skating look so easy.

Unfortunately, ice skating isn't really as easy as they make it look. As in any sport, with practice and persistence, learning to ice skate can be a fun, challenging, and even at times, a spiritual sport that doesn't have to cost a lot of money to enjoy.

Although skating's not as popular as some sports, one doesn't have to look very far in Helena and the surrounding area to find numerous skating opportunities and some figure, hockey, speed and recreational skating enthusiasts.

City parks

The City of Helena Parks and Recreation Department has five parks with public ice skating rinks.

Certainly, Memorial Park is at the top of the list because of the warming house and the large well-maintained rink. The warming house was built more than 30 years ago. With a sheet of ice approximately 300 feet long by 150 feet wide, the rink's about the size of two and a half hockey rinks. According to Jannice Spotorno, Memorial Park Ice Rink supervisor, she sees on average about 40 people per day. This, she says, is nothing compared to the numbers that the Rink saw in it's early years.

"I think it used to be more popular than it is now," Spotorno said. "Technology has caused a big drop-off. People aren't as active as they used to be."

Recently opened during the Christmas holiday week, the warming house is now open Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. When the warming house is closed, the ice is always open and accessible on the west end of the rink. In addition, the warming house is available for ice-skating parties and youth groups in the evenings on weekdays.

"We welcome parties at the warming house," Sportono said. "Even if someone wants to have a birthday party on the weekend, all they have to do is call ahead and we will set aside some tables. We'll even decorate a bit."

Spotorno said she would like to see more people here to enjoy the rink and have some very affordable family fun. Fees are set at 50 cents for kids and $1 for adults. Donated skates are also available for public use at no charge.

"It may not be the best ice, but it is affordable, " she said.

Other parks in the city that offer good ice for skating include Barney Park, 1950 Cleveland, near the Benton Avenue Cemetery, Cunningham Park at 1234 Floweree, Lincoln Park at 1800 N. Roberts St. and Lockey Park at 1700 E. Broadway. These parks are also flooded and maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department maintenance staff.

In East Helena, the Main Street Park has an ice skating rink maintained by the City of East Helena. According to Mayor Ed Murgal, the crew began flooding the area early in December and now the ice is open to anyone who wants to use it. There is also a small shelter provided for people to warm up.

Helena Ice Arena and Helena Figure Skating Club

The Helena Ice Arena offers public indoor skating opportunities nearly 11 months of the year.

The rink is a 17,000-square-foot, NHL-size rink. The ice is open to the public Saturday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. and on Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 6 p.m. With extra sessions added during spring break. In addition, the Helena Ice Arena has "laser skating" from 10 p.m. to midnight usually after most regular season Bighorn Hockey games. Costs for skating during the open sessions are $3 for children and $5 for adults, and rental skates are $1. Concessions and a pro shop are also available.

Group skating lessons and individual skating lessons are offered through a partnership between the Helena Ice Arena and the Helena Figure Skating Club.

"We offer basic skills classes," said Scott Knickerbocker, general manager at the Helena Ice Arena. "That's not only on figure skates. It can be on hockey skates too. There are a lot of options for people," he added.

Michelle Pyzyna is a skating instructor who teaches group lessons at the Helena Ice Arena through the Helena Figure Skating Club. The Skating Club offers "Learn to Ice Skate" group lessons for adults and children age 4 and up. The next session of group skating begins Jan. 12 and continues through Feb. 16.

During National Skating Week, Jan. 18-26, the Helena Ice Arena and the Helena Figure Skating Club is hosting a "Great to Skate" event on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Arena. The event will include a hockey demonstration presented by Bighorn team members and a figure skating presentation by the Helena Figure Skating Club. Free lessons, time to practice, prizes and laser skating will wrap up the fun and exciting event all geared towards promoting ice-skating.

"It's going to be great," said Pyzyna. "We're going to be having the lessons while the National Skating Week is going on and we will be able to bring those kids into it. And then the other kids from the Great to Skate event can join us, too. That will be so good to get more kids into skating," she said.

Knickerbocker added that ice-skating can also be great for people who want to just do laps. "It's a great way to come indoors and still get a good cardio workout," he said.

Lakes in the area

Skating on local lakes once the ice is thick enough is popular with some ice skaters. People are occasionally seen skating at Canyon Ferry Lake, Spring Meadow Lake and on Lake Helena.

Craig Marr, state parks operations manager said that ice skating at Spring Meadow Lake is not recommended. He also said that the people that do ice skate on the lake do so at their own risk.

"We don't really encourage skating at Spring Meadow Lake," he said. "Underwater springs and week spots in the ice make it very hazardous."

Marr indicated that if a person chooses to skate at Spring Meadow or any other lake for that matter, certain safety measures could be taken. He suggests that you never skate alone; have a partner. He said that ice spikes could be helpful in an emergency and he reminds anyone who goes out to skate at a lake, to always tell someone where they are going, how long they will be gone and when they plan to be back.

Marr also added that if people do choose to skate at Spring Meadow Lake, it is still necessary to pay the State Park day use fees of $1 for kids age 6-12, and $2 for people age 12 and over.

Some very enthusiastic folks at Kim's Marina on Canyon Ferry Lake have taken to the ice in a big way. Last year, a two-lane speed skating track with a hockey rink in the middle was the pride and joy of Greg Axtman and Jesse Leneve.

Axtman and Leneve use "long blades", the type of skates used in competitive speed skating, and are big fans of that scene.

"Not too many people are involved in speed skating generally as a sport," said Axtman. "We had a 400 meter track out here last winter, which was pretty intense. We put a lot of effort into it," adding that they try to make their track the same caliber as the tracks seen at the Olympics.

Axtman said he hopes the ice will be ready to build the track again this year by the end of January. They are planning to spruce it up with lanes clearly marked with plastic tabs to make it more official.

"Maintenance is an everyday thing," said Axtman. "In the beginning we are out there with shovels. Eventually Bob Leneve will let us use his four wheeler with the blade on the front to keep the ice clear of snow."

Axtman said that a lot of times they are the only "Zambonis" out there skating. But sometimes on the weekend, he sees more people and families. Once the ice is on the lake and safe for skating Axtman said he hopes more folks will come out to enjoy ice-skating.

"We just do it for fun," he said. "We are still waiting to play our first hockey game."

Ice information

-- To book a party at the Memorial Park Warming House, call Jannice Spotorno at 443-9074.

-- To sign up for group or individual lessons through the Helena Figure Skating Club, call Michelle Pyzyna at 449-2677 or Debbie Currie, president, at 442-1095.

-- For information on upcoming events at the Helena Ice Arena, call 457-2817.