SWAMPSCOTT — Residents are eagerly lacing up their skates and heading over to Abbott Park to take advantage of the cold weather and ice-skate over the frozen and flooded ground.
“It’s been a real success,” Director of Department of Public Works (DPW) Gino Cresta said. “Every time I drive by going to work, there’s always somebody out there skating.”
Cresta took a moment to reflect on how the DPW brought back the iconic winter pastime for residents. “There’s a drain in the middle of the park, so when it rains it takes the runoff water. We closed that off, so no water could escape. Then we opened up a hydrant on Ellis Road, and we flooded it.”
“We looked at the long-range weather forecast,” he explained. “Once we knew we were gonna get cold weather, it really made it worth our while to go out there and flood the park. Previous years where it wasn’t as cold, we tried. But it just wasn’t worth it.”
Cresta said the DPW flooded the area over a period of four days. “We added about three inches the first day, and then an inch on each subsequent day.”
Looking forward to future forecasts, Cresta predicts the revamped ice rink is here to stay for a while. “Coming next week, it’s gonna get real cold, so we’re planning on adding another inch or two at some point and let it freeze over-night.”
So far the ice has been attracting attention during all times of day. “Whether it’s the weekend, after school, there’s always somebody there enjoying the ice,” Cresta said. “We’ve got nothing but positive reviews.”
