Few things are more synonymous with Minnesota than ice skating. But rising global temperatures are threatening to change this longstanding lifestyle.
What’s happening?
Each winter, Minneapolis opens dozens of outdoor public ice rinks across the city. Each one requires a lot of time and effort, and that means lots of money.
As the Washington Post reported , each rink takes at least a month of watering for 14 hours a day to create its base. Once the ice reaches 4 inches in thickness, it still needs to be sprayed every day to remain smooth.
But as temperatures rise , the cost becomes more difficult to justify. Last winter, which was Minnesota’s warmest on record , the city only got eight days of skating before the rinks were too warm to use. The manpower required cost nearly $900,000…