New ice rink set for Niles

NILES, Mich. — It is a past-time that is making an icy comeback in Niles, the town's free ice rink.

City Council members approved plans for the ice skating rink off of Front Street.

The four acres there will be transformed into a layer of ice.

"With the way the weather is projected it is supposed to be below average for the rest of February, so we decided to go ahead and get it set up and see if we can't get a few weekends of skating in," said Tim Scalla, Niles City Council.

Ice skating used to be a popular past time Niles. And many city leaders want to bring it back for their own kids.

"The truth is you talk to some guys around my age and they did some sparking at the ice rinks back in the day, in the late 60s and 70s," Scalla said. "There is an amazing amount of people that if you talk to them, met their wives ice skating."

The city already has about 120 pairs of donated skates. And there will be no charge once the rink opens.

AEP is letting Niles borrow the land for the rink and Key Club members from the high school will volunteer to keep it running on the weekends. 

No word on when the rink will open.