Families and schools lament the loss of a winter tradition as Ashland officials fail to secure a permanent canopy permit in time for this winter
By Damian Mann for Ashland.news
The popular Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink will remain closed for the season in a blow to local families who enjoy the holiday tradition.
“Both of my children, they will be really sad about that,” said Sarah Simpson, PTA secretary at Helman Elementary School. “Our community, our people are feeling like families are less and less of a priority.”
Helman used to sponsor an annual trip to the ice rink each season, but funding issues with the school district had dimmed the prospect of that happening this year, she said.
Because of this program, which made it possible for students to walked to the rink and take a bus back, “Kids who normally can’t go there, could have access to it,” Simpson said.
She said her children, a third-grader and a sixth-grader, were asked her recently when the ice rink would open and now she has to break the bad news.
The rink was already three weeks delayed from its typical pre-Thanksgiving opening when Ashland Parks & Recreation issued a statement Wednesday, Dec. 11, that the rink would not open for the 2025-2026 season.
The Ashland Parks & Recreation Department hopes to open the ice rink for the 2026-2027 holiday season.
“We share the community’s profound disappointment that the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink will not open for the 2025-2026 season,” said Parks & Recreation Director Rocky Houston in a news release. “The rink is a cherished winter tradition for the Ashland Community.”
The rink was closed due to COVID-19 in 2021, according to Dorinda Cottle, Ashland’s communications officer.
In February of this year, Parks & Recreation decided to switch from keeping the canopy as a temporary structure to a permanent one, which triggered a permitting process that required extensive review under the Oregon Building Code.
Parks & Recreation officials, who have had to make budget cuts in recent years, wanted to make the change to save about $100,000 in costs to take down the canopy and then to erect it for the next season.
The process of taking the canopy down resulted in wear and tear on the fabric, so the cost saving and extending the life of the canopy played into the decision to seek a permanent permit for the structure.
A series of snafus with the permitting process, which began last February, could not be resolved. According to Rocky Houston, parks director, layoffs by the manufacturer of the canopy resulted in the inability to complete required engineering analyses.
As a part of the permitting process, a structural engineer, who was laid off by the manufacturer, was needed to evaluate the structure, canopy and footings to verify that they can withstand wind events, earthquakes and snow loads, Houston said.
Because the structural engineer wasn’t available, the required analyses couldn’t be completed in time to safely and legally open the ice rink, he said.
In addition to the engineer, an architect will be needed to conduct a code analysis to ensure the structure is accessible, has appropriate egress, and meets fire and life safety regulations for the protection of the public, Houston said.
He described the closure as “an unfortunate setback,” but he said his department is moving forward with hiring a local engineer who could undertake the analysis.
Houston said he expects to get the permits that will enable it to be a permanent structure in time for the spring and summer tourist prime tourist months, when the rink is used as a parking lot.
“We are working diligently to get the building permit as soon as possible as to not impact the off-season use as well,” he said in an email response.
Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at [email protected].
Related stories:
Ashland ice rink might not open this season (Dec. 4, 2025)
Permitting snag delays Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink opening (Nov. 21, 2025)
City’s ice rink to get important updates in coming season (Sept. 18, 2024)
Aging Ashland ice rink infrastructure may have to be replaced, commissioners told (May 2, 2024)
Ice rink issues, parking on Winburn Way through Lithia Park top APRC special meeting agenda Wednesday (May 1, 2024)
