Photo Credits: Official Opening or a Haircut for Jerry DaBrescia?— Members of The Hancock Partners and Town Supervisor Jerry Vernold braved the snow and cold on Thursday to officially open the Hancock Holiday Ice Rink. Pictured (l-r) Richard Lowe, Director of Economic Development, Mike Argiros, presdient of The Hancock Partners, Town Supervisor Jerry Vernold, Jerry DaBrescia and Dawn Joyce, members of The Hancock Partners Board of Directors. [Photo by Cindy Ray]
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The Hancock Holiday Ice Rink officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, December 22 at the new rink in the Hancock Town Square. Sponsored by Hancock Partners, Inc., the rink is anticipated to be open for the next six weeks or longer depending on weather conditions. “The outpouring of community support has been amazing,” Partners President Mike Argiros said during the occasion, which took place during the area snowstorm Thursday afternoon. Argiros thanked Richard Lowe, Dennis Ryan, John Rajoppi, Hancock Village, The Hancock Volunteer Fire Department, Deposit’s Closet, and Bisbee Lumber for their efforts and donations in getting the rink ready for skating. “The community is thrilled to have a skating rink,” Argiros said. The rink will be open each weekend-weather permitting. Admission will be free for children and there is a $5 suggested donation for adults. This year patrons will need to bring their own skates but in future seasons officials hope to rent skates. The winter tourism initiative is hoped to bring visitors to the Hancock area and provide a fun winter activity to all. Donations of skates in all sizes and in good condition can be left at The Hancock Herald office.
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Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.
Hancock residents and visitors will be able to go ice skating in the village thanks to a tourism grant from Delaware County. Hancock Partners Inc. applied for and received a $5,000 matching grant from the county’s Economic Development Office for Tourism Promotion & Development to build the ice rink. According to the grant application, Hancock Partners and the Hancock Chamber of Commerce planned to build the Holiday Ice Rink on the Hancock Town Square at 20 East Main Street, which turned out to be almost the same location as an ice rink was in 1891. According to a post on the Hancock Partners website, “the original rink was located in what is now the Hancock Town Square opposite NBT Bank. The white house currently located behind NBT Bank is the Pettigill House, which originally stood in the Bank’s location 180 degrees clockwise and it was the Pettigill Barn that hosted the rink each year.
More than 130 years later Delaware County and Hancock Partners are bringing this history back to life for local residents by placing the ice rink back in almost the exact same location and very nearly the same size as the original which was 50x90. The Hancock Rink is 50-30, but is expandable each year and Hancock Partners is still seeking grant funds to expand it for next year and add hockey nets for local sporting teams.” According to the website, the portable rink can be set up within a few hours with two to three people. The rink will officially open Thursday, Dec. 22, with a ribbon cutting at 1:30 p.m. The rink will be open from 4 to 8 p.m. Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. People will need to bring their own skates as there are no rentals this year, the website said. Children will skate for free, while admission for adults will be $5. The admission helps pay for the maintenance and insurance, the website said.
In addition to working with the chamber, Hancock Partners said on its website it was “looking to partner with Hallmark Movies Televisions Channel to sponsor the rink and possibly film during the 2022 holidays and winter months of 2023.” Depending on the weather, the rink will be open until Valentine’s Day, when a “Sweetheart’s Skate” will take place, the website said. For a list of rules and more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p98dtfz.