With unusual weather conditions over a century-old ice-skating rink losing its glory

The members of Shimla-Ice Skating club are now demanding that this only Open-Air Ice Skating Rink in Shimla needs to be converted into an all-weather indoor Rink for Ice skating.

"Skating in Shimla is the heritage of the city. Shimla is the only place in the country to have ice skating. Shimla is the Mecca of Ice skating. Due to Global warming, there has been no snowfall in Shimla City and the changing weather is alarming for the game of Ice skating here in this world-famous skating rink. Last year we were able to conduct the Ice-Skating sessions till the 22nd of February. Due to the high temperatures, we would not be able to conduct long sessions for the people here during the winter. We want now to change it into an all-weather rink. Our management has been trying to convert this to an international standard Ice skating Rink to start national level Ice-skating," Manpreet Singh, Secretary of Shimla Ice-Skating club told ANI.

Now the Ice skating lovers here want to make Shimla Ice-skating Rink an all-weather indoor rink to conduct Ice-Skating throughout the year.

"If we want to save this sport and ensure that Ice-skating does not die in Shimla, the government should come forward and change this into an all weather rink. This government should help us in making it an Artificial Ice-skating rink. We are hopeful that we would be able to do so and conduct games throughout the year," Singh further added.

As per data available with the Shimla Ice Skating Club over a decade period, the weather has been unusual right from 2010 to 2023. In 2010-11, the Club conducted 88 sessions and in 2016-17 lowest 11 sessions were conducted and this year 2022-23 they conducted 35 sessions which 3rd lowest after 2016-17 and 2013-14. The members want more people and members to come to learn Ice-skating here and with the changing weather that would be possible only if Rink is converted into an all-weather rink.

"I have been skating here since the age of 6 years now. It's been 35 years here. This Skating Rink was built in 1920. The changing weather has impacted the annual sessions here; we used to have more than eighty sessions. If it will be an all-weather rink we will be having all championships, it is high time to make it an indoor and all-weather rink. Kids will not join, large numbers of children were expecting to have skating here but they would not come in future if they dont get an all-weather rink here," said Rajat Malhotra, Member and coach at Shimla Ice-skating club.

"We have been organizing the National championship of Ice hockey and Ice skating. With the change of weather, we are not able to conduct any national championships. The Participants used to come and on the day of the game, the weather is not favourable so we are not able to conduct national and can't even think of organising Internationals. The matches at the national and international levels are shifting to Ladakh Kashmir and Delhi or to Kaza. During 2010-11 we conducted 88 sessions and two years ago we conducted 82 sessions. Last year we conducted 52 sessions but we were not able to conduct sessions in January last year due to bad conditions and February was very good. This year the weather was unpredictable and we could only conduct 35 sessions. The time has come to make this now a closed-door all-weather rink. We have the sports minister from Shimla and we hope he himself is a skater and will make efforts to make it an all-weather rink so that skating can be saved and promoted here," Rajat further added.

During the past, for nearly 13 years Ice skating sessions were decreasing due to the unusual weather conditions.

During the year 2010-11 highest 88 sessions of Ice skating were conducted, in 2011-12 total of 56 sessions were conducted, in 2012-13 total 64 sessions, in 2013-14 only 28 sessions, during 2014-15 a total of 45 sessions, in 2015-16 only 36 sessions, during 2016-17 lowest 11 sessions, during 2017-18 a total of 64 sessions, in 2018-19 total 51 sessions, in 2019-20 total 59 sessions and 2020-21 total of 82 sessions, in 2021-22 total 52 sessions were conducted and this year during 2022-23 only 35 sessions of Ice skating could be conducted. (ANI)