SKATING FUN IN SOUTH SIDE PARK AS POND IS TURNED INTO ICE RINK
Freezing temperatures have their advantages as popular city spot is packed with visitors
SKATERS braved the sub zero temperatures over the weekend to turn a Glasgow pond into an ice rink. As the mercury plunged to minus 5, locals took advantage of Queen’s Park’s main duck pond freezing over.
Despite Level 4 Covid- 19 restrictions, the park was bustling with skilled figure skaters, amateurs in trainers and little children being pulled on sledges.
For some, it was a welcome chance to practice their sport as ice rinks closed due to coronavirus shutdowns.
Three members of East Kilbride’s Olympia Figure Skating club took to the ice to practice.
Becca Oakes, 15; Adele Sansovini, 16; and Taylor Marchant, 15; are all feeling the loss of their skating lessons and competitions.
Mum Gillian Oakes said: “They have not been able to skate since before Christmas and it has been a bit of a shambles with the rink opening and shutting – they have had hardly any training.
“They’ve been skating for seven to eight years and they love it so not having a chance to skate has been hard.”
On Saturday, police attended the park and moved on those making the most of the icy conditions.
But yesterday the pond was packed with people enjoying the ice – although there was careful social distancing in evidence.
The Met Office has said temperatures are expected to remain at zero or sub zero throughout the rest of the week.
Which will be good news to skaters missing the rink – but a worry for public health officials concerned for the spread of Covid- 19.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers received a call of concern about people skating on a frozen pond within Queens Park, Glasgow, around 12.10pm on Saturday, January 2, 2020.”
“Police attended, offered safety advice and the group dispersed.”