W@ssup

Having fun on ice triggers memories of trailblazers like Philip Boit, Sabrina Wanjiku and the Kenya Ice Lions, who have flown our flag high in foreign capitals during Winter Olympics. But while their exploits may be in faraway contests, Kenya also boasts having the only ice rink of its kind in East and Central Africa, The Solar Ice Rink at Panari.

The idea of an ice rink in the tropics is a marvel and the welcome paradox of being solar-powered, essentially making ice from the sun, keeps The Solar Ice Rink at Panari in line with our Climate Change goals.

The ice rink, which reopened yesterday, provides diversity to the tourism experience on offer in Kenya. This reopening also comes at a time when Kenya is experiencing a rebound in tourism after being one of the hardest-hit industries by the pandemic.

Speaking at the event, chief guest Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, noted that this the revival of the rink was the icing in the tourism recovery cake.

“This moment is both humbling and triumphant as I stand here knowing in the next couple of weeks, I will be witnessing several such reopenings across the length and breadth of this beautiful country. After two years of restrictions, we are roaring and ready to hit the road to recovery and revival.”

The Solar Ice Rink at Panari measures 32 by 12 meters with an ice skating surface area of 15,000 square feet. It is totally enclosed with an ice temperature of -25°C and the air temperature inside the hall is 12°C. The rink can accommodate 200 skaters at any time and is open daily from 11:00am to 10:00pm. The hourly charges range from Sh800 for children of up to 14 years of age and Sh1,000 for those older than that, inclusive of the skating boots.

Since it opened in 2005, this ice rink located on the second floor of the hotel complex located along Mombasa road is the only venue for the Kenyan ice hockey teams and those eager to try out on this exotic sport. Skating lessons are also provided with all sessions covered by trained instructors.

Kenya is a sporting powerhouse with her well-documented exploits in athletics. Already, we have had the Magical Kenya Open, a European Tour event at the beginning of this month. Another signature Kenyan event, the WRC Safari Rally, will be firing on all cylinders in the month of June. Even as our runners continue to chalk up victory after victory across the globe, this potential to become both a sporting powerhouse and cash in on sports tourism lies in the ability to be host to more sporting activities.

“As I reopen the Panari Ice Rink, I would like to pose a challenge to the Kenya Ice Lions to reunite and roar out loud. Let us dream big, Ice Lions, even dare to imagine our membership into the International Ice Hockey Federation. Let us inspire the next generation of ice-cool world-beaters who are home-grown. I look forward to a breakthrough akin to Jamaica's famous bobsleigh team of 1988. Let us put pioneering facilities such as this Ice Rink into good use and encourage domestic sports tourism. If roller skates and skateboards have found their way into the lexicon of our fun-loving youngsters, the rink too can find a home,” Balala said.

Kenya might not boast natural ice rinks like the Rideau Canal, which snakes through the Canada’s Ontario city centre and freezes over enough to form the world's largest natural ice rink and attracts thousands of visitors every year, but this eco-friendly rink in the tropics is a step towards bigger dreams, as those embodied by Boit and Sabrina.