Over the last few weeks, the appearance of the Cahill tennis courts has drastically changed. This winter, the Milwaukee Winter Club and Cahill have collaborated to build an outdoor skating rink on top of the tennis courts, just blocks from the high school. The skating rink is unique in that it isn’t completely reliant on weather conditions. Instead, it is cooled by glycol pipes laid under it. 

The Winter Club decided to build the rink in Whitefish Bay because a significant number of the Winter Club’s members live in Whitefish Bay, explained Micheal Lindeman to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In addition to use for the Milwaukee Winter Club, the rink will also be used by WNS storm, Whitefish Bay’s co-op hockey team, and free public use. 

The rink is funded by the Winter Club, and upkeep costs are covered in part by Whitefish Bay. Local businesses and donors have also supplied funds, and the Milwaukee Winter Club is currently fundraising for a new zamboni for the rink. 

With the pandemic and social distancing mandates, outdoor activities have become more popular this winter, but there is still risk of COVID-19 transmission outdoors. The best ways to reduce transmission are through staying six feet apart from others and wearing masks, according to the CDC. The Cahill rink only recommends skaters to stay six feet apart and wear masks, but it is unclear how they will enforce this. Observing the rink on a Saturday when it was open to the public, most were wearing masks, but at least ¼ of skaters reamined unmasked. Few people seemed to actively try to stay six feet apart. 

The rink is open for public skating varying hours every afternoon. Hours can be found on the Whitefish Bay VIllage website and the Milwaukee winter Club website.