Hanford community, businesses thrilled with new ice skating ink

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- The city of Hanford went above and beyond for their community this holiday season with an ice rink for the first time ever.

It is a dream come true, says Mayor Francisco Ramirez.

"You know, one of the visions I had about six years ago was to bring an ice rink to the city of Hanford," he said. "At that time, the council didn't see it but the council that we have now, as you can tell, they have a great vision."

The city invested $140,000 to make this winter dream a reality at Civic Park.

They also had support from over 40 sponsors that donated items like the Christmas tree and sheds used to sell tickets.

Cheyne Strawn says they dedicated a lot of time for over a year - giving the community a fun place to enjoy after months of quarantine.

Since the day it opened in mid-November, over 4,000 people have purchased a ticket to ice skate and thousands more have stopped by to enjoy the atmosphere.

Over 10 vendors are busy selling and the music is always playing.

The foot traffic is something business owners in the small city are grateful for.

"I love it as a business owner, we do get the foot traffic," says Anna Vasquez. "Hanford needs that and I think the city did amazing at bringing that to our community."

The long-term goal is to continue this magical tradition for years to come.

"People tell me, 'I've lived in Hanford my whole life and I've never seen anything like this.' For me, the smile on the faces of the kids and the family is what it's all about," says Parks & Community Services Director Brad Albert.