85-year-old ice princess celebrates 70 years of ice skating in Gmünd!

85-year-old ice princess celebrates 70 years of ice skating in Gmünd!

On January 11, 2025, Mayor Richard Arnold opened the ice rink in Schwäbisch Gmünd. The ceremonial event took place in front of the balcony of the office and was accompanied by Doris Webel (née Wahl) and another lady. Webel, who at 85 has a long history of ice skating, recalled her experiences 70 years ago on the frozen Schießtal, where innkeepers broke blocks of ice from bodies of water to cool drinks. She talked about the earlier, colder winters in which longer ice periods were possible and talked about her training in Ravensburg and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

However, in recent years the climate has changed and the city of Gmünd no longer offers a real ice surface. Instead, a plastic sheet is used that requires no energy to cool. This decision was made taking climate protection and costs into account. The synthetic track is supported by sponsors and volunteers, and Corinna Lutz, a former German figure skating runner-up, presented a show on this new track.

Opening times and entrance fees

The ice rink on Gmünder Marktplatz is in operation until March 9th. Opening times are Monday to Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. During the holidays, visitors can also use the train on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The entry prices are as follows: adults pay 5 euros, children under 18 years of age pay 4 euros and a family ticket costs 16 euros. Tickets of 10 are also available, which cost 40 euros for adults and 30 euros for children. Skate rental costs 3.50 euros, while sharpening your own skates is possible for 5 euros.

The development towards synthetic ice rinks cannot only be observed in Schwäbisch Gmünd. According to a forecast by Trautner, real ice rinks are gradually dying out due to high water and energy costs, while plastic ice rinks serve as an ecological alternative. These are easy to assemble and enable cost-effective driving fun all year round WWF.de reported. Ice rink operators rent the synthetic rinks in the summer to reduce energy costs, and cities use these rinks in marketplaces to retain customers.

– Submitted by West-East media