Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine

people discover restaurants and other places to shop.”
San Jose, San Francisco and Walnut Creek have
outdoor skating rinks, and the thought was that
it would be good for Redwood City to be able to
offer the same thing, Beth pointed out.
Local businesses chip in
The cost to bring the rink to Redwood City is $40,000,
not including operation costs, according to Beth.
Local businesses have contributed $30,000 and the
expectation is to raise $10,000 through skating sales.
With businesses contributing so much money,
it will be easy to break even, Beth pointed out. “It
makes our target for break-even that much easier,”
he said. After the break-even point, profits will be
used to help fund concerts, movies, programs and
other special events.
Businesses that have sponsored Holiday Skating
on the Square include the Fox Theatre, Fresh Takes,
Saba Café, Pamplemousse, Harry’s Hofbrau, Sakura,
Peninsula Infinity, Barrett Insurance, State Farm
Insurance, Lacewell Realty, San Mateo Credit
Union, T.W. Bay and Redwood General Tire. These
businesses have their names featured on the inside
of the rink, so skaters are aware of who helped
make Holiday Skating on the Square possible.
“We are extremely thankful to see that the city
is devoting as much energy to bringing patrons
[to] downtown Redwood City in the winter as they
do in the summer months with the very popular
Friday Night Concert Series,” said Fox Theatre
owner Eric Lochtefeld.
He added, “We think the skating rink will be
a wonderful attraction for families as well as people
looking to get outside over the holidays. We believe
that its popularity will greatly benefit businesses
in the downtown area by bringing in customers that
would otherwise not visit Redwood City during
the winter.
“We believe that Redwood City is overwhelmingly
becoming the premier city for entertainment in
Silicon Valley. The skating rink is just one more
sign of this city’s commitment to fulfilling this goal.”
Peter Liebengood, executive director of Fresh
Takes, a digital arts center that opened in June
and provides training to people of all ages, said,
“We’re a new company, a nonprofit. We need to
make sure people know we’re here. I feel, in a way, we’re
also being in this incubator for entertainment.
It just seems like a natural thing to do. It’s such a
great event.” Fresh Takes is in the same building
as the Fox Theatre. “I literally overlook [the rink],”
said Liebengood. “It’s a great idea.” Liebengood
said he wants people to “to feel this is a happening
place” and the rink helps do that.
Ryan Morris, general manager of Saba Café,
suggested that people come downtown only for a
specific reason. “People will come for the movies,
park, go to the movies and leave. What we’re trying to
do is bring people to Redwood City for a specific
reason, yes, but we want them to stroll. Mingle. Bring
the whole Redwood City together as a whole
instead of every company fending for themselves.
I definitely think it will bring the holiday spirit
here. We want [people] to experience Redwood
City and experience what it has to offer. People
need to come check it out for themselves. It’s a
very nice area now,” he said.
“Any traffic is good traffic here,” said Kelli Manukyan,
owner and pastry chef at Pamplemousse, which
sells high-end French pastries. “The city, for financial
reasons, is not doing as many events as in the past.
Ice-skating rinks and bakeries, they go hand in
hand. That’s the main reason I wanted to be part
of it. It’s perfect for the people who want a nice,
casual afternoon out.” Manukyan plans to thank
her regular customers by giving them passes to
the rink. “It’s something really smart that the city
has done,” she said.
Ice Oasis a ton of indoor fun
If you want to skate without worrying about the
cold, wet weather putting a damper on the fun this
winter, Nazareth Ice Oasis Ice Skating & Hockey
Club, at 3140 Bay Road, is the place to go. The
24,000-square-foot facility is equipped with locker
rooms, a lobby, bleachers, a pro skating shop, a
pro hockey shop and a restaurant.
“We strive to differentiate our rink from the others
by being more customer-oriented,” explained
general manager Hanna Hanhan. “My first day
at the rink I wondered, what are we selling here,
the skate rental or renting the skate surface? I
realized that we are selling the thrill of skating.
Seeing the smile on a 6-year-old after completing
a full round without holding the rail, or a 15-yearold
who just did her first double axel, or a hockey
player who scored the winning goal for his team
that night, or the goalie who made that incredible
save, you maybe realize that none of these
examples has to do with renting skates or renting
the ice surface. What makes us different is that we
provide the tools needed for the experience and
we become part of the thrill and it is wonderful.”
He added, “We maintain our facility the best we
possibly can, not just aesthetically. We do have one
of the best ice surfaces in the area and that brings
our customers back every week. Maintaining the
ice surface is both a science and a passion.”
Ice Oasis has programs for people regardless of
their age or ability, from the beginner learning to
skate to advanced workshops and clinics. It offers
skating schools taught by professional coaches.
Additionally, Ice Oasis has the Black Stars hockey
program, open to children and youth between the
ages of 4 and 17, with or without prior hockey
experience. Kids wanting to get started with
hockey begin with the starter hockey program.
The next levels are a rookie camp and a league.
Teams are organized by age, and each team has a
head and assistant coach.
“Being open year-round gives us the ability to
implement these programs in a progressive and fun
way to keep the customer engaged and interested
and always looking for that weekly session, whether
it’s a 30-minute session or a 90-minute game,”
said Hanhan.
Winter is the busiest time of year for Ice Oasis.
“The skating business is cyclical,” Hanhan explained.
“It slows down in the summer because that’s when
outdoor sports thrive, and in the winter, our customers
return home.”
Ice Oasis is the home rink for the Stanford
University Hockey Club. The Redwood City Ice
Theatre (RCIT), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
and co-ed team representing Peninsula Skating
Club, also practices at Ice Oasis.
Ice Oasis has been in Redwood City since the
late 1970s, according to Hanhan. It started as a
practice rink for figure skating. Adult hockey was
introduced in 1997 and youth hockey was added in
1999. Ice Oasis has had several different owners
throughout the years, and each has added a little
to it, Hanhan explained.
Skating is a fun activity for individuals as well
as families, and with two great places to skate in
Redwood City this winter, why not take advantage
of it? You don’t have to be Kristi Yamaguchi —
just get out there and have a great time, all while
getting some exercise, too!
Interested in going?
Holiday Skating on the Square
Location: Courthouse Square
Open: Nov. 18–Jan. 16
Hours: Monday through Thursday 2–9 p.m.,
Friday 2–10 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m.,
Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends.
(Weekend rates begin at 6 p.m. on Fridays.)
Skates can be rented at no extra charge.
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased in advance by
visiting the city’s website at www.redwoodcity.
org/events.
Ice Oasis
Location: 3140 Bay Road, Redwood City
Open: Year-round
Public hours: Mondays 10–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–
4:30 p.m., Tuesdays 10–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–4:30
p.m., Wednesdays 10–11:30 a.m., Thursdays 10–
11:30 a.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m., Fridays 10–11:30
a.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m., Saturdays 12:30–2:30
p.m., Sundays 12:30–2:30 p.m.
Without skate rental: Adults $10, children ages
5–17 $8, 4 and under $4, seniors $8
With skate rental: Adults $12, children ages 5–17
$10, 4 and under $5, seniors $10
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