Unique cooling system keeps Slice of Ice open all winter

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- From young to old, many people have fond memories of skating on ice. However, the warm winters we've been experiencing make it difficult to maintain proper skating conditions. The Milwaukee County Parks Department employs special system to ensure the Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park is ready to go, despite what Mother Nature decides!

'"It`s been very successful and we`'ve got it down to a science now," Milwaukee County Parks Chief of Operations Guy Smith said.

The weather doesn't negatively impact Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park. That's because there's a sophisticated piping system interwoven into the concrete pad below the ice.

"Within that piping is what`s called heat transfer fluid, but simply it`s antifreeze, that helps cool and keep the ice in great shape even when it`s 40 or 50 degrees out," Smith said.

This chilling system is run by two compressors.

"Typically we have one running, but if it`s really getting warm we`ll turn the other one on as well," Smith said.

Once a base of ice is created, the chilling system protects it from melting, which makes many ice skaters happy.

"It`s nice to just come out here and relax just for a little bit and listen to my iPod get some tunes in and do just a few laps around the ice," ice skater Brian Schmidt said.

"It`s beautiful out, so we wanted to get out and enjoy some fresh air on a nice Wisconsin day and she got new ice skates for Christmas so we had to get out here," ice skater Jen Thomas with her daughter Harper said.

Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park opens everyday at 11:00 a.m. Skating is free, and there are rental skates available.