Letter: Apache Mall -- and Rochester -- would benefit from an ice rink

We recently went to Iowa City to visit our son and family. We have a 5-year-old grandson there who we enjoy spending time with.

While there, we took our grandson to the Coralville mall so he could enjoy the children’s museum. While strolling through the mall afterwards, we noted that hundreds of people were there because their kids were participating in hockey games in the mall’s ice rink. The ice rink is located next to their large food court. Most of the vendors had lines of 20 to 30 people standing awaiting a chance to order meals.

I’m wondering why the Apache Mall couldn’t have an ice rink. More specifically, why not have a rink in the long-vacated Herberger's store area?

Minnesota is ‘the’ hockey state. Rochester is a strong supporter of hockey at many levels. Not having family members of any age participating in hockey, I can only listen to hockey families, and ice skaters who enjoy skating in general or competitive ice skaters, as they describe the inability to find time and places where they can skate due to the overwhelming numbers of those wishing ice times. I can only imagine how much they would appreciate another rink, as the many benefits the mall would see with one.

I would encourage the city and mall to consider retrofitting an empty store into a successful rink for the enjoyment of skaters of all types. One with the seating capacity for parents and families to enjoy the rink as well.

Ken Aalderks, Rochester