Warm weather closes newly opened Tahlequah ice rink

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The current unusually high temperatures have forced Tahlequah city officials to close the new ice rink the city opened last month as a winter attraction.

"The warm weather has interfered with the operation of the rink. It will not be open until Thursday or Friday," Tahlequah Mayor Jason Nichols told 2NEWS on Monday, saying though Monday and Tuesday were days the rink was originally scheduled to be closed anyway.

He said the ice can be maintained even with temperatures as high as 65 or 70, if the air is calm, but with the mercury passing those levels and the windy conditions, keeping the rink frozen was a losing battle.

The 62x120-foot rink at Norris Park had its last session on Saturday and is now more water than ice.

"Once ice is lost due to consecutive warm and windy days, we cannot rebuild that ice," said Nichols.

And, Nichols reminded, "It's got to be cold to make ice."