At the end of June, we shared the sad news with our community that the YWCA Ice Chalet will not reopen this year due to a combination of rising costs and declining use.
“We knew this would be painful news for many who treasure memories of good times at the Ice Chalet. It was important to me to honor the support of our skating community and to share the news by letter or personal visit with as many as possible,” said Anne-Marie Zell Schwerin, YWCA Executive Director. “Once the decision was final, Julie Mae Longgood [YWCA Board President] and I began reaching out to the community,” she said. “The support we received was simply overwhelming.”
Of course, the hardest part was giving the news to the staff. “We realize that the Ice Chalet would have folded a long time ago without the passion, dedication and hard work of the staff, especially [Manager] Jodi Alden and Nate Alden,” Anne-Marie said.
If you have ideas how the space could be used to support the community and the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women, please call 509-525-2570 or send a message to the YWCA Ice Chalet Facebook page. Like the page to stay posted about equipment sales or plans for our commemorative event later this fall as we begin decommissioning the rink.
If you have questions about the closure, read our Frequently Asked Questions about the Ice Chalet closure or call 509-525-2570.