IOWA WILD COMMUNITY RINK PROGRAM EXPANDS TO ALTOONA, NEWTON
Jan 8, 2022DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Wild, in conjunction with Wells Fargo, the City of Altoona and the City of Newton, today announced two new community rinks will be built for public use this winter.
"The Iowa Wild organization is extremely proud to announce the continuation and expansion of our Community Rinks program. We began this journey in 2016 with the unveiling of our first-ever community rink at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines with the goal of spreading our love for the game of hockey with local communities throughout the Des Moines Metro and the state of Iowa as a whole,” said Iowa Wild President Todd Frederickson. “With our latest expansion, we are now up to 10 community rinks in total.”
Iowa Wild and Wells Fargo announced the first community rink in December 2016, which is located in Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines. In the following years, the partnership produced rinks in Ahrens Park, Ames, Ankeny, Indianola, Johnston, Urbandale and Waukee. Preparation for the new rinks in Altoona and Newton, located in Ironwood Park and in Legacy Park on the campus of the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), respectively, will begin in the coming days. All of the Central Iowa community rinks will be available for use in the winter months and are free to the public. All participants are asked to follow local safety guidelines when using the rinks.
“Wells Fargo is thrilled to once again team up with the Iowa Wild to provide two more local communities with public skating rinks, just in time as we kick off a new year,” said Wells Fargo Regional Bank Director Marta Codina. “This program is a natural extension of our ongoing partnership with the Wild, and we’re happy to help offer more opportunities for central Iowans to enjoy outdoor activities with their family and friends. We can’t wait for all the wonderful memories that will be made at these new locations in Newton and Altoona.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the Newton and Altoona rinks will take place on Thursday, Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. CT and 3:15 p.m. CT respectively.
“DMACC continues to appreciate all of the partnerships that are supporting the redevelopment of Legacy Plaza,” said DMACC Board President, Joe Pugel. “The gift of a community ice skating rink from the Iowa Wild and Wells Fargo organizations helps bring to life another community feature that DMACC students, residents, and visitors from all over will enjoy at Legacy Plaza as this campus once again becomes a thriving part of Newton and the state.”
“We appreciate the generosity of the Iowa Wild and Wells Fargo and are very happy to add another outdoor activity to our community,” said Altoona Mayor, Dean O’Connor. “We are proud of our parks and trails and all the amenities they have to offer, and this simply creates a wonderful partnership instilling the importance of being active and social.”
The community rinks have been donated in a partnership between the Iowa Wild and Wells Fargo. Each rink measures 80 by 40 feet (a regular hockey rink measures 200 by 85). The rinks will be open as long as the weather permits and the ice remains frozen.
“Our commitment to the growth of the game of hockey in the state of Iowa is never-ending, and we cannot wait to be a part of so many new memories on the ice this season,” said Frederickson.
Iowa Wild hockey is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. For more information, please visit www.iowawild.com. Fans can purchase single-game tickets through the team’s website at www.iowawild.com. Group tickets (10 or more), suites, Wild 365 memberships or premium tickets can be purchased by contacting the Iowa Wild Ticket Department at (515) 564-8700 or tickets@iowawild.com.
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