Needham Ice Skating Options

Written by Lollie Weeks

Thermometers are being tested this week, “How low can you go?” and most pantries are stocked with cocoa and marshmallows -- ice skating season is in full swing.

A backyard ice rink is the ultimate in skating convenience – lace up and walk out your back door – but for many families the lack of a flat yard space makes that dream impossible.

Heck, even if you have a rink in your backyard, wintery cabin fever sometimes necessitates a field trip; a change of scenery is always nice.

Right here in Needham we have several outdoor skating options –

• §  Horsford Pond – Central Avenue, across from RTS, at entrance to Town Forest.
• §  Farley Pond -- South Street, 3/10 mile from Chestnut Street intersection, on right.
• §  Reservoir -- off Dedham Avenue, behind the Department of Public Works.
• §  Walker-Gordon Pond -- Charles River Street, 2/10 mile from Central Avenue, on right.
• §  Rosemary Lake -- Rosemary Street
• §  Sportsmen’s Pond -- Great Plain Avenue, between Central Avenue and Marked Tree Road, behind the brick building.

Horsford & Reservoir also offer lighting Friday thru Sunday and holiday evenings.

Before you head out, be sure to check the Town’s Skating& Sledding page for current ice depths, skating conditions & safety tips. When available, new information is updated after 3 p.m. The town also offers a recorded information line -- (781) 444-7212, press 6.

If you’re looking to get out of town, but not too far a drive --

Boston Common Frog Pond – “at the heart of Boston Common, one of America’s oldest and most treasured public parks”, offers public skating hours daily and skate rentals.

Jim Kirrane Ice Skating Rink – located at the top of the hill in Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, offers public skating sessions Thursdays thru Sunday and skate rentals.

When the mercury dips too low and wind chills make it feel downright arctic, there are plenty of nearby indoor skating options as well –

Babson Skate Center – on Great Plain Avenue in Wellesley offers public skating sessions Tuesday & Thursday mornings and Sunday afternoons, and skate rentals are available.

Jim Roche Community Ice Arena – on VFW Parkway in West Roxbury offers public skating sessions daily and skate rentals.

For a list of other rinks around the state, click here.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your hat & mittens and lace up those skates for a fun & affordable family afternoon on the ice.

Do you have a family favorite skating rink or pond that isn’t listed here? Please do share it in a comment below!

Lollie Weeks blogs about life in suburbia, her culinary adventures, Pinterest obsession, doughnut addiction and being a parent with ADD at The FortuitousHousewife. Her company, Weeks Web Marketing, helps small businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media & internet-based marketing. She lives in Needham with her husband, two boys and a not-so-bright, but oh-so-sweet Border Collie.

photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc