Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine
Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine
Angels in Our Community - The Spectrum Magazine
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people discover restaurants and other places to shop.”<br />
San Jose, San Francisco and Walnut Creek have<br />
outdoor skat<strong>in</strong>g r<strong>in</strong>ks, and the thought was that<br />
it would be good for Redwood City to be able to<br />
offer the same th<strong>in</strong>g, Beth po<strong>in</strong>ted out.<br />
Local bus<strong>in</strong>esses chip <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> cost to br<strong>in</strong>g the r<strong>in</strong>k to Redwood City is $40,000,<br />
not <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g operation costs, accord<strong>in</strong>g to Beth.<br />
Local bus<strong>in</strong>esses have contributed $30,000 and the<br />
expectation is to raise $10,000 through skat<strong>in</strong>g sales.<br />
With bus<strong>in</strong>esses contribut<strong>in</strong>g so much money,<br />
it will be easy to break even, Beth po<strong>in</strong>ted out. “It<br />
makes our target for break-even that much easier,”<br />
he said. After the break-even po<strong>in</strong>t, profits will be<br />
used to help fund concerts, movies, programs and<br />
other special events.<br />
Bus<strong>in</strong>esses that have sponsored Holiday Skat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on the Square <strong>in</strong>clude the Fox <strong>The</strong>atre, Fresh Takes,<br />
Saba Café, Pamplemousse, Harry’s Hofbrau, Sakura,<br />
Pen<strong>in</strong>sula Inf<strong>in</strong>ity, Barrett Insurance, State Farm<br />
Insurance, Lacewell Realty, San Mateo Credit<br />
Union, T.W. Bay and Redwood General Tire. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>esses have their names featured on the <strong>in</strong>side<br />
of the r<strong>in</strong>k, so skaters are aware of who helped<br />
make Holiday Skat<strong>in</strong>g on the Square possible.<br />
“We are extremely thankful to see that the city<br />
is devot<strong>in</strong>g as much energy to br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g patrons<br />
[to] downtown Redwood City <strong>in</strong> the w<strong>in</strong>ter as they<br />
do <strong>in</strong> the summer months with the very popular<br />
Friday Night Concert Series,” said Fox <strong>The</strong>atre<br />
owner Eric Lochtefeld.<br />
He added, “We th<strong>in</strong>k the skat<strong>in</strong>g r<strong>in</strong>k will be<br />
a wonderful attraction for families as well as people<br />
look<strong>in</strong>g to get outside over the holidays. We believe<br />
that its popularity will greatly benefit bus<strong>in</strong>esses<br />
<strong>in</strong> the downtown area by br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> customers that<br />
would otherwise not visit Redwood City dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the w<strong>in</strong>ter.<br />
“We believe that Redwood City is overwhelm<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
becom<strong>in</strong>g the premier city for enterta<strong>in</strong>ment <strong>in</strong><br />
Silicon Valley. <strong>The</strong> skat<strong>in</strong>g r<strong>in</strong>k is just one more<br />
sign of this city’s commitment to fulfill<strong>in</strong>g this goal.”<br />
Peter Liebengood, executive director of Fresh<br />
Takes, a digital arts center that opened <strong>in</strong> June<br />
and provides tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to people of all ages, said,<br />
“We’re a new company, a nonprofit. We need to<br />
make sure people know we’re here. I feel, <strong>in</strong> a way, we’re<br />
also be<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> this <strong>in</strong>cubator for enterta<strong>in</strong>ment.<br />
It just seems like a natural th<strong>in</strong>g to do. It’s such a<br />
great event.” Fresh Takes is <strong>in</strong> the same build<strong>in</strong>g<br />
as the Fox <strong>The</strong>atre. “I literally overlook [the r<strong>in</strong>k],”<br />
said Liebengood. “It’s a great idea.” Liebengood<br />
said he wants people to “to feel this is a happen<strong>in</strong>g<br />
place” and the r<strong>in</strong>k helps do that.<br />
Ryan Morris, general manager of Saba Café,<br />
suggested that people come downtown only for a<br />
specific reason. “People will come for the movies,<br />
park, go to the movies and leave. What we’re try<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
do is br<strong>in</strong>g people to Redwood City for a specific<br />
reason, yes, but we want them to stroll. M<strong>in</strong>gle. Br<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the whole Redwood City together as a whole<br />
<strong>in</strong>stead of every company fend<strong>in</strong>g for themselves.<br />
I def<strong>in</strong>itely th<strong>in</strong>k it will br<strong>in</strong>g the holiday spirit<br />
here. We want [people] to experience Redwood<br />
City and experience what it has to offer. People<br />
need to come check it out for themselves. It’s a<br />
very nice area now,” he said.<br />
“Any traffic is good traffic here,” said Kelli Manukyan,<br />
owner and pastry chef at Pamplemousse, which<br />
sells high-end French pastries. “<strong>The</strong> city, for f<strong>in</strong>ancial<br />
reasons, is not do<strong>in</strong>g as many events as <strong>in</strong> the past.<br />
Ice-skat<strong>in</strong>g r<strong>in</strong>ks and bakeries, they go hand <strong>in</strong><br />
hand. That’s the ma<strong>in</strong> reason I wanted to be part<br />
of it. It’s perfect for the people who want a nice,<br />
casual afternoon out.” Manukyan plans to thank<br />
her regular customers by giv<strong>in</strong>g them passes to<br />
the r<strong>in</strong>k. “It’s someth<strong>in</strong>g really smart that the city<br />
has done,” she said.<br />
Ice Oasis a ton of <strong>in</strong>door fun<br />
If you want to skate without worry<strong>in</strong>g about the<br />
cold, wet weather putt<strong>in</strong>g a damper on the fun this<br />
w<strong>in</strong>ter, Nazareth Ice Oasis Ice Skat<strong>in</strong>g & Hockey<br />
Club, at 3140 Bay Road, is the place to go. <strong>The</strong><br />
24,000-square-foot facility is equipped with locker<br />
rooms, a lobby, bleachers, a pro skat<strong>in</strong>g shop, a<br />
pro hockey shop and a restaurant.<br />
“We strive to differentiate our r<strong>in</strong>k from the others<br />
by be<strong>in</strong>g more customer-oriented,” expla<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
general manager Hanna Hanhan. “My first day<br />
at the r<strong>in</strong>k I wondered, what are we sell<strong>in</strong>g here,<br />
the skate rental or rent<strong>in</strong>g the skate surface? I<br />
realized that we are sell<strong>in</strong>g the thrill of skat<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
See<strong>in</strong>g the smile on a 6-year-old after complet<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a full round without hold<strong>in</strong>g the rail, or a 15-yearold<br />
who just did her first double axel, or a hockey<br />
player who scored the w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g goal for his team<br />
that night, or the goalie who made that <strong>in</strong>credible<br />
save, you maybe realize that none of these<br />
examples has to do with rent<strong>in</strong>g skates or rent<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the ice surface. What makes us different is that we<br />
provide the tools needed for the experience and<br />
we become part of the thrill and it is wonderful.”<br />
He added, “We ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> our facility the best we<br />
possibly can, not just aesthetically. We do have one<br />
of the best ice surfaces <strong>in</strong> the area and that br<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
our customers back every week. Ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the<br />
ice surface is both a science and a passion.”<br />
Ice Oasis has programs for people regardless of<br />
their age or ability, from the beg<strong>in</strong>ner learn<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
skate to advanced workshops and cl<strong>in</strong>ics. It offers<br />
skat<strong>in</strong>g schools taught by professional coaches.<br />
Additionally, Ice Oasis has the Black Stars hockey<br />
program, open to children and youth between the<br />
ages of 4 and 17, with or without prior hockey<br />
experience. Kids want<strong>in</strong>g to get started with<br />
hockey beg<strong>in</strong> with the starter hockey program.<br />
<strong>The</strong> next levels are a rookie camp and a league.<br />
Teams are organized by age, and each team has a<br />
head and assistant coach.<br />
“Be<strong>in</strong>g open year-round gives us the ability to<br />
implement these programs <strong>in</strong> a progressive and fun<br />
way to keep the customer engaged and <strong>in</strong>terested<br />
and always look<strong>in</strong>g for that weekly session, whether<br />
it’s a 30-m<strong>in</strong>ute session or a 90-m<strong>in</strong>ute game,”<br />
said Hanhan.<br />
W<strong>in</strong>ter is the busiest time of year for Ice Oasis.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> skat<strong>in</strong>g bus<strong>in</strong>ess is cyclical,” Hanhan expla<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
“It slows down <strong>in</strong> the summer because that’s when<br />
outdoor sports thrive, and <strong>in</strong> the w<strong>in</strong>ter, our customers<br />
return home.”<br />
Ice Oasis is the home r<strong>in</strong>k for the Stanford<br />
University Hockey Club. <strong>The</strong> Redwood City Ice<br />
<strong>The</strong>atre (RCIT), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization<br />
and co-ed team represent<strong>in</strong>g Pen<strong>in</strong>sula Skat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Club, also practices at Ice Oasis.<br />
Ice Oasis has been <strong>in</strong> Redwood City s<strong>in</strong>ce the<br />
late 1970s, accord<strong>in</strong>g to Hanhan. It started as a<br />
practice r<strong>in</strong>k for figure skat<strong>in</strong>g. Adult hockey was<br />
<strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> 1997 and youth hockey was added <strong>in</strong><br />
1999. Ice Oasis has had several different owners<br />
throughout the years, and each has added a little<br />
to it, Hanhan expla<strong>in</strong>ed.<br />
Skat<strong>in</strong>g is a fun activity for <strong>in</strong>dividuals as well<br />
as families, and with two great places to skate <strong>in</strong><br />
Redwood City this w<strong>in</strong>ter, why not take advantage<br />
of it? You don’t have to be Kristi Yamaguchi —<br />
just get out there and have a great time, all while<br />
gett<strong>in</strong>g some exercise, too!<br />
Interested <strong>in</strong> go<strong>in</strong>g?<br />
Holiday Skat<strong>in</strong>g on the Square<br />
Location: Courthouse Square<br />
Open: Nov. 18–Jan. 16<br />
Hours: Monday through Thursday 2–9 p.m.,<br />
Friday 2–10 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m.,<br />
Sunday noon to 8 p.m.<br />
Cost: $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends.<br />
(Weekend rates beg<strong>in</strong> at 6 p.m. on Fridays.)<br />
Skates can be rented at no extra charge.<br />
Tickets: Tickets can be purchased <strong>in</strong> advance by<br />
visit<strong>in</strong>g the city’s website at www.redwoodcity.<br />
org/events.<br />
Ice Oasis<br />
Location: 3140 Bay Road, Redwood City<br />
Open: Year-round<br />
Public hours: Mondays 10–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–<br />
4:30 p.m., Tuesdays 10–11:30 a.m. and 2:30–4:30<br />
p.m., Wednesdays 10–11:30 a.m., Thursdays 10–<br />
11:30 a.m. and 2:30–4:30 p.m., Fridays 10–11:30<br />
a.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m., Saturdays 12:30–2:30<br />
p.m., Sundays 12:30–2:30 p.m.<br />
Without skate rental: Adults $10, children ages<br />
5–17 $8, 4 and under $4, seniors $8<br />
With skate rental: Adults $12, children ages 5–17<br />
$10, 4 and under $5, seniors $10<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Spectrum</strong> 15