North Pole ice rink attracts 37,000 visitors

THE NORTH Pole ice rink and winter fair on Parker’s Piece once again proved popular with Cambridge residents and visitors.

The ice rink, which was open from November to early January, attracted around 37,000 skaters in total, with around 85,000 visiting the attraction as a whole.

Under the terms of the agreement with Cambridge City Council, the rink and fair are now scheduled to be dismantled and removed by 14 January.

The cost of any remedial work required for grass affected by the North Pole attraction will be met by the operator, Arena Events Ltd.

The aim of the remedial work will be to get the site quickly back into public use. This will include aeration of the ground and over-seeding of some areas, and is due to start after the site has been vacated.

As in previous years, measures were taken before the event to protect the grass on Parker’s Piece, including by laying trackways and rubber matting throughout the site.

The grass where the event was situated may appear yellow in colour for a period, but will steadily revert to its natural colour once the structures and rides have been removed, depending on weather conditions during the rest of the winter.

Cllr Anna Smith, Executive Councillor for Streets and Open Spaces, said: “The North Pole attraction again proved to be a popular addition to the festive season in Cambridge.

“As in previous years, we will review the performance of this year’s North Pole event, including management issues and resident and customer feedback, to inform whether any changes need to be made to the event.  

“Once the attraction has been dismantled and removed from site, we will ensure that any required remedial works to the grass are undertaken and Parker’s Piece is back in full use as soon as possible.”