Will Asheville offer ice skating at the Civic Center this year?

I’m wondering if the city of Asheville will offer ice skating at the Civic Center this year. Does anybody know for sure?

Over the past several years, residents have been treated to several weeks of ice skating inside the Civic Center, which started offering public ice skating way back when this town had a hockey team. The hockey team went away, but ice skating was such a hit that the city has continued to offer it each winter.

Last year, the ice skating season was shortened to about two weeks. The city also sought to sell its ice making equipment last year. City officials for years have complained about the expense and complexity of setting up and providing the ice for public ice skating. It can conflict with trade shows, it’s difficult to maintain, etc.

In the end, there was no guarantee that the ice would be back. It’s too bad, because there are a lot of fans of ice skating, and there’s no better way to get in the holiday mood than by hearing the laughter and seeing the fun only a slippery rink can provide.