by Kristin Kruse
In the heart of the unincorporated town of Florence, there is a hidden treasure that people may not be aware of. The Florence Outdoor Ice Rink was brought to life back in 2017 by hockey enthusiast and local resident Chris Kovatch.
“The rink in Missoula is always so crowded and I thought it would be great to have a local rink,” said Kovatch.
The first step in the process was a meeting with the Florence Park Board, who agreed with the idea, and purchased the liner, boards and brackets necessary to build the rink, according to Kovatch. The rink was constructed on top of the tennis courts, which were in a state of disrepair. The first year proved to be a challenge, as the rink was assembled on an uneven surface, causing a wall to blow out along with other issues. Through lessons learned during the first year, the second year was much more successful as Kovatch and a group of volunteers were able to level the ground with skid steers making the rink more level.
“The rink has been a labor of love, and I really wanted to see the area become a 12-month park instead of a nine-month park,” said Kovatch. “I have handled the upkeep and maintenance since 2017 and made the decision to hand the responsibilities over to the Civic Club in 2024. They are full of fresh ideas.”
Ann Bethea, secretary of the Florence Civic Club, and longtime club member Roger DiBrito have happily taken on the upkeep and operations of the rink. DiBrito was born and raised in Minnesota and is no stranger to ice skating and hockey.
“I am the oldest of 11 kids,” said DiBrito, “and every day when we would get home from school our mother would send us to the local ice rink, so I grew up skating. I have three grandsons who play hockey, and I really enjoy doing things for the community.”
Bethea shared some of the ideas that the Civic Club has in mind for improving the rink.
“We would like to add signage, a gate and bleachers to the area,” said Bethea. “We are also thinking about using the space for a sand volleyball court in the summer months. We also hope to have an opening night event each year. Stay tuned.”
The rink is currently open to the public. It is located at 5462 Florence Carlton Loop. Each morning someone comes and checks the conditions for safety purposes and if the gate is unlocked it’s open, if it’s locked it’s
closed. The entire operation is run by volunteers, and includes a concession stand full of skates, helmets and hockey sticks that are free for anyone to use.
“It has been very popular and we want to encourage families to come enjoy the rink,” said Bethea.
The rink also has a light system, so people can skate at night. There are two fire pits, along with some chairs and benches.
The Civic Club is actively looking for volunteers to help out as hosts, and is accepting any donations of skates, helmets and walkers.
For additional information or to inquire about getting involved, you can reach Bethea by phone at 406-403-6491 or by mail: Florence Civic Club, PO Box 544, Florence MT 59833.
