With snow in the forecast today here at Western New England University, we’re in the mood for some fun winter activities! WNE has seen many events and traditions come and go (let’s bring back the snow sculpture contest!), but one was so fleeting it lasted only one season and appears only once (as far as we could find) in our records.

Back in 1980, when the Plymouth residence halls were still a new addition to campus, the land in front of the complex was used as an ice skating rink! For a mere $500, the land was filled and leveled, and the rink was constructed. According the The Westerner, the rink took over a month to be installed, filled, and frozen.

However, the ice skating rink didn’t have a happy ending. By the time it was frozen, students were leaving for winter break, and it had thawed and been vandalized by the time they returned. The newspaper article states that the rink was repaired and refrozen in January, but seeing as there is no more mention of the rink in the student newspaper, it is unknown how long the rink lasted.

Who wants to see another ice rink on campus? And what other winter tradition or activity would you like to see return? Let us know!