Torrance's synthetic ice rink will open today

Facility will be at 1408 Cabrillo Ave. through Jan. 7

For the first time, locals and visitors to Torrance's historic downtown will get to enjoy a beloved winter pastime those in cold climate regions have always had — outdoor ice skating.

“As far as I know, this is the first time that we're having an outdoor ice skating rink like this,” said Debbie Hays, sales/community relations director at Discover Torrance, the city's official destination marketing organization, “so everybody's really excited.”

Neighboring communities such as Rancho Palos Verdes and Redondo Beach have had similar iceskating rinks, but this is the first time such an attraction has come to Torrance.

The synthetic rink, dubbed the “Ice Fantasy Skating Rink,” will be at 1408Cabrillo Ave., in Old Torrance. It opens today and runs until Jan. 7.

The rink will be open from 4 to 9:30p.m. Monday to Thursday, 2:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

It will open for extended hours during winter break, from 1 to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Torrance Unified School District's winter break officially begins Dec. 26 — Christmas is on Monday this year and is a federal holiday — and ends Jan. 5.

Tickets cost $16 per adult and $14 per child ages 3-12. For seniors 55 or older and military personnel, the price to get in will be $15 per person.

All students from Torrance Unified School District will be able to skate for just $9.

Admission includes a 60-minute ice skating session and ice skate rental.

The rink measures 30feet, by 60 feet and holds around 40 to 45 people at a time. Besides ice skating, folks can also enjoy music and buy food, including cookies, nachos, hot chocolate and popcorn.

Free parking is available on the streets.

The ice rink is not a city sponsored event, so it isn't costing Torrance any money, Hays said. The company “Ice Fantasy Skating Rink” approached Torrance for permission to set up a rink and it landed in Old Torrance.

The event, however, is expected to increase visitor traffic to the city and generate revenue for businesses nearby. The rink is within walking distance of restaurants and shops tucked in Old Town, many of which are independently owned, Hays said.

“It gets people down there in the original footprint of the city,” she said. “Sometimes people might forget that we have this historic district down there, and so we like to have all these different kinds of fun, family-oriented events downtown to remind people what we have down there.”

Hays said she hopes the attraction is here to stay.

“I'm hoping that this inaugural event proves to be quite successful and that we can have it every year,” she said. “So I have my fingers crossed.”