RED LODGE — The future of Red Lodge Ice, one of the community's most beloved winter spaces at Lion's Park, is looking brighter thanks to new funding.
A state tourism grant program has opened the door for improvements and expansion of the popular ice rink facility.
Watch what board member says about the future of the Red Lodge Ice:
The funding will support a preliminary engineering report to guide development, including the potential installation of cooling coils. The cooling coils would extend the skating season and enhance reliability during warmer weather conditions.
"This allows us to be much more consistent and have a bigger tourist draw as well as be a better resource for the community. And the other part is that we've identified summertime uses," Board Member Raymond Kuntz said Wednesday at a community meeting about the rink and other parks.
Kuntz said the grant is "several hundred thousand dollars" broken up into multiple rounds.
The group is also exploring options to create a multi-season space that can be enjoyed year-round, expanding beyond traditional winter activities.
