All St. Paul outdoor rinks closed due to high temperatures, unlikely to reopen this season

Sabrina Salguero Del Cid KSTP

Warm weather forces more event closures

High temperatures have been above freezing, wreaking havoc on outdoor winter activities.

St. Paul Parks and Recreation announced that all ice rinks are closed due to “unseasonably warm” temperatures on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, St. Paul Parks and Recreation stated that non-refrigerated ice rinks will unlikely reopen. According to the city’s website, the closed rinks are Battle Creek, Desnoyer, Edgcumbe, Groveland and Langford Park.

In an online update, St. Paul’s refrigerated rinks are “holding up” and may continue to host hockey games and ice-skating sessions. They also stated that community center staff are preparing for outdoor courts to open, according to the Facebook post.

Outdoor rinks in the Twin Cities had a late start to the season and were shut down two weeks later due to warm weather.

According to the latest forecast from Minnesota’s Weather Authority, temperatures will remain in the mid-40s, with light rain over the weekend.

Additionally, the city announced the Como Park Ski Center was closed for the season, noting those who had signed up for lessons would automatically get a prorated refund.

With Minnesota’s “unpredictable” winter, St. Paul Parks and Recreations recommended other activities, such as open swim Sundays at Great River Water Park. Another option is cross-country skiing with man-made snow in Battle Creek Regional Park.