Oakwood Park, typically filled with ice skaters and hockey players of all ages, has been left deserted after an odd temperature spike in mid-January melted the ice.

Oakwood Park recently became a family attraction after park renovations finished in April of 2017 and the frozen pond was opened to the public for ice skating and hockey. Dividers placed in the center of the pond split the rink to allow families and young children to enjoy leisurely skating while hockey players can briskly glide toward the practice goals on the other side. The open ice allows all skaters to practice their skills close to home at no cost at all. Children and teenagers alike can purchase their own pair of ice skates at the concessions store in town, skate the night away under the lights at the pond, and even order dinner straight to the park from a local pizzeria. Oakwood truly brings the community together in the winter cold.

However, shortly after winter break, the weather took a transient break from the typical frigid arctic winds, with temperatures peaking in the low 60s, high enough to partially melt the pond ice. The warm weather may have seemed a blessing to some in the bleak midwinter, but ice skating enthusiasts in town were disappointed. However, they need not fear the end of the skating season. While the bizarre weather may have temporarily closed down the pond, the temperature has dipped back into the sub-freezing zone. The ice has already begun to solidify again, and soon it’ll be thick enough to be reopened and once again enjoyed by the New Providence community.