Troy has no traditional downtown, so in winter its evenings gather around a ring of ice at the southeast corner of Civic Center Drive and Town Center Drive. On Friday, Dec. 4, the mayor, Santa, two choirs and a drumline will open it for its third ice season.
The Rink at Stine Community Park, at 241 Town Center Dr., is free to skate all year. It hosts roller skating and blading from spring through fall, then closes in November while crews make the ice. The ice season is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026, through Feb. 28, 2027, and the city says the dates may change with the weather.
A town square built for about 100 skaters
The rink was built on purpose to be the gathering place Troy never had. When the pavilion and rink opened on June 13, 2024, Troy Public Works Director Kurt Bovensiep told C&G Newspapers that "the plan for this has always been a four-season space," adding, "We don't have a traditional downtown, and the survey results showed that the community also wanted winter recreation." The same story says the project took about five years from the resident survey that asked for public gathering space and more winter recreation.
The shape explains how the place feels. Officials call it an ice skating "ribbon" because it loops in a circle. Bovensiep told The Oakland Press that it is about the size of the Campus Martius rink in downtown Detroit and holds about 100 skaters. Because of the ribbon design, it is meant for recreational skating, not hockey. The rink rules follow from that: no sticks or pucks, no jumps, spins or speed skating, and everyone skates with the flow. The ribbon is for slow, sociable laps.
The money shows how seriously the city took the idea. According to The Oakland Press, the rink, pavilion, furniture and construction management came to $10 million. A $1.5 million grant came with help from U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, $4.5 million came from the city's American Rescue Plan Act funds, and the city covered the rest. C&G Newspapers reported that the Troy Community Foundation gave $100,000 toward the park's performing arts stage. The park itself opened in 2022, when the Troy Farmers Market moved there. It is named for Jeanne M. Stine, who told C&G at the opening that she had served on City Council since 1975 and became mayor in 1992.
The rink was expected to be skateable by mid-February 2024. Because of what C&G Newspapers described as "some complications," the city said it would not open that winter, and it opened the following June.
The roof that isn't there
Most of what a winter at Stine Park looks like comes down to one sentence on the city's rink page: "The ice is not covered." Snow, rain and sun all reach the skating surface. Troy Recreation lists the conditions that can delay opening or close the rink:
- Air temperature of -15° or colder
- Wind chill of -15° or colder, or a National Weather Service wind chill warning
- Warm temperatures or sun that soften the ice
- A severe snow or ice event that makes the pavilion, surrounding areas or ice unsafe
- Heavy rain or thunderstorms that leave the ice unusable
Because of that list, the city sends delay and closure notices through Stine Park Alerts, which go out by text or email. Every Stine Park event, from the tree lighting to the Friday theme nights, is listed as weather permitting. For an outdoor rink, an alert from that list is more reliable than any printed calendar.
The park around the ice is built for staying a while. The pavilion has restrooms, a covered seating area the city calls the Great Hall, and fire pits. Coffee and hot chocolate cost $3 at the concession stand, which is open Friday through Sunday and during holiday breaks. Parking is in the Stine Park lot, the Troy Community Center lot, the Troy Family Aquatic Center lot and the SMART Park & Ride lot. Troy Racquet Club does not allow rink parking.
The season as printed
On regular days, the rink is open 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Skating is free with your own skates. Rentals cost $3 for residents and $5 for non-residents, and children under 3 skate in free rentals regardless of residency. Anyone who can't show identification pays the non-resident rate. The dates below are the ones that change the routine.
| Date | What's happening | Hours and cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Holiday Tree Lighting and ice season opening; ceremony at 6:30 p.m. | 5 to 9 p.m., free |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | 3rd Annual Polar Party at the Rink and Troy Community Center | 5 to 8 p.m., free; rink closed 3 to 5 p.m. to prepare |
| Mon., Dec. 21 | Capes & Skates | 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., $15 residents, $20 non-residents, registration required |
| Dec. 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 | Extended winter break skating | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 | Short days | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 | Closed | |
| Fri., Jan. 15 | Theme night: Millennial Night, 90s and 00s | 6 to 9 p.m., free |
| Mon., Jan. 18 | Extended holiday skating | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Jan. 29 | Theme night: Favorite Musicals | 6 to 9 p.m., free |
| Fri., Feb. 12 | Theme night: Date Skate | 6 to 9 p.m., free |
| Feb. 15 and 16 | Mid-winter break skating | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Feb. 26 | Theme night: All Decades Hits | 6 to 9 p.m., free |
Opening night packs in the most. Mayor Ethan Baker and City Council will join Santa to light the tree, with music from the Athens Concert and Treble Choirs and the Troy Colt Drumline. Hot cocoa, coffee and Timbits are served while supplies last, and rentals and concessions open at 5 p.m. The Polar Party a week later reaches beyond the ice, adding indoor activities and open swim at the Community Center next door.
What January adds
The first two winters offered open skating and events. This winter, Troy Recreation adds ice skating lessons, listed as "NEW" on the rink page. Classes start in January for three age groups: 3 to 5, 5 to 17, and adults 18 and up. Each runs four weeks and costs $100 for residents and $110 for non-residents, with skate rental included. Helmets are recommended for everyone and required for children under 8. Registration is through the city's recreation catalog.
The timing matters. Lessons begin just as the holiday crowds leave and the free Friday theme nights start on Jan. 15. A skater who learns to stop and turn in January has the four theme nights and the February break days to use those skills. The adult class stands out on a ribbon built for recreational laps, since it gives parents a way onto the ice instead of watching from the Great Hall.
The rink's age rules set how a family visit works. Skaters 16 and up show photo ID, 13- to 15-year-olds without an adult show a school ID, and children 12 and under must skate with an adult.
The Community Center next door has a change of its own. Starting Dec. 1, new and returning members can buy memberships online, and the Winter 2026/27 Recreation Guide notes that new treadmills were installed this year.
The same weekends, around town
The rink's busiest dates line up with the rest of Troy's winter calendar. Troy Recreation's Winter 2026/27 guide shows these overlaps:
- Dec. 5 and 6. The day after the tree lighting, Troy Historic Village hosts Cocoa and Crafts with Santa, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days.
- Dec. 11 and 12. Victorian Christmas fills the Historic Village Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 6 to 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, Stage Nature Center runs Decorate for Wildlife with Santa, 10 a.m. to noon or 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. A family could do the nature center in the morning and the Polar Party at 5 p.m.
- Dec. 21 to 23. Longest Nights in the Village runs 4 to 7 p.m. on the same three evenings the rink extends its winter break hours, and Capes & Skates fills the ice on the 21st.
- Jan. 9. Stage Nature Center premieres a new program, Saving Songbirds: Meet a Live Bird!, from 2 to 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon.
- Feb. 15 and 16. Troy Historic Village holds a free Mid-Winter Break Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the rink is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days.
The guide was sent to print on Oct. 16, 2026, so check the city's event pages and the alert list closer to each date.
When the ice melts, Stine Park returns to summer use. Applications for the 2027 Midweek Market & Music open Feb. 1, 2027, and Troy Recreation is already looking for food trucks for its Wednesday markets and evening concerts.
At home, I think about how a room gets used. A space built for gathering only works when people know when to show up. If you're planning around the Dec. 4 opening or watching for a lesson spot, or you want to talk about how Troy's year-round places shape daily life, Kathy Remski would love to hear from you. Let's Connect.
