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Then and Now: The Ice Palace

1977: A crowd gathers Nov. 28, 1977, for the opening of the Ice Palace, a new attraction under the canopy of the U.S. Pavilion, which was left after Expo ’74 was over. For 40 years, the rink provided seasonal recreation opportunities in Riverfront Park, where figure skaters, recreational skaters, curlers and hockey players could get out on the ice throughout the winter. It’s replacement is a “ribbon” of ice instead of a rink. (Spokesman-Review Photo Archives)
1977: A crowd gathers Nov. 28, 1977, for the opening of the Ice Palace, a new attraction under the canopy of the U.S. Pavilion, which was left after Expo ’74 was over. For 40 years, the rink provided seasonal recreation opportunities in Riverfront Park, where figure skaters, recreational skaters, curlers and hockey players could get out on the ice throughout the winter. It’s replacement is a “ribbon” of ice instead of a rink. (Spokesman-Review Photo Archives)
By Jesse Tinsley jesset@spokesman.com(509) 459-5378

Riverfront Park’s Ice Palace, which opened the day after Thanksgiving in 1977, had a 40-year run as a downtown winter attraction. Opening day included demonstrations by local figure skating clubs that were set to disco music. A new park mascot called Dudley, Dean of Dawgs, styled like Disneyland costumed characters, was introduced to the crowd.

The Spokesman-Review story about the new rink said it was the forerunner of several entertainment improvements on the former world fair site, which would soon include a Disneyland-style historical exhibit, called “The Spokane Story,” a restaurant, cocktail lounge and game room, along with a new IMAX theater building next to the U.S. Pavilion, also completed in 1977.

When it opened, the rink was still protected by the vinyl sheeting on the pavilion’s canopy.

Shortly after the world’s fair closed, the vinyl canopy of the pavilion began showing damage from heavy snows. Shortly after the rink opened, heavy snows caused further tears in the vinyl. After several expensive attempts to repair it, the canvas was eventually removed.

The rink surface would later be protected from rain and snow by its own roof, completed in 1981. The roof incorporated lighting and a speaker system.

Parks officials often admitted that the ice rink cost more to operate than it produced in revenue, though Riverfront Park Manager Hal McGlathery said it was close to breaking even in 1984. By 1987, the attraction even had a small revenue surplus, though expensive repairs were required to the ice making equipment under the 85-by-190-foot ice sheet.

A park bond for $64 million passed in 2014 and included plans to renovate Riverfront Park’s premier attractions, including the venerable Looff Carrousel, the gondola ride over the falls and the former Ice Palace.

The Ice Palace closed in February 2017.

With the bond funding, the carousel was placed in a larger, protected enclosure while the gondola ride was updated next to a new skating feature, a ribbon of ice 650 feet long and 16 feet wide in a loop in the southwest corner of the park, which opened in the fall of 2017. The attractions are now called the Numerica Ice Ribbon and the Numerica SkyRide.