Hamilton Community Ice Rink
HAMILTON DOWNTOWN FOUNDATIONBringing a new winter tradition to our local community.
About the Project
The Hamilton Community Ice Rink is a free, seasonal, outdoor rink.
The first of it’s kind in the Bitterroot Valley and Missoula, the refrigeration system ensures safe and consistent ice all season long. At 44’x80’, it is designed for casual skating and 3v3 puck play. In partnership with Hockey Wolf, a fully stocked “skate shack” will ensure everyone can use the rink, regardless of owning equipment.
More than anything, it will serve as a gathering space for our community during the most isolating time of year.
Ravalli County and Hamilton Downtown Foundation are working to place the rink at Big Corral Park, a county-owned park that has sat unused for nearly 15 years. The ice rink now has a permanent place in Ravalli County’s newly approved Big Corral Park Master Plan. The location is central and easy to reach. You can walk to the rink from Daly Elementary and Hamilton High School, and it’s about a mile away from Main Street businesses. There is plenty of free parking available as well.
Location: Big Corral Park
Why an Ice Rink?
In 2025, Hamilton Downtown Foundation sought out a project that would improve the lives of local residents while supporting local businesses. Through conversations with many local leaders and organizations, the concept of an ice rink was born. Nothing quite like it exists in the Bitterroot Valley, or even up the road in Missoula.
An accessible gathering place. The rink is designed for everybody who wants to use it. Free admission in a park-like setting with skates to borrow, to ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation. No long drive up to a ski area. Comfortable seating and lighting will be installed so that folks who aren’t skating still feel welcome to join.
Community resilience. Winter in rural Montana can be long, and November through April is generally considered the most isolating stretch of the year. Short days keep people inside, and a lot of what normally brings our community together, like farmers markets, festivals, and park play dates, are unavailable during the winter. This rink, and the gathering space around it, gives families and recreationists alike a simple way to connect through the off season.
Economic Vitality. Right now, if you want to ice skate, you have to drive an hour to Missoula, pay for the ice, and spend your day, and your money, in Missoula instead of Hamilton. The rink will be open during some of the slowest months of the year for local businesses, keeping that spending here instead. It will also help draw and keep regional visitors, bringing new dollars into our off-season economy.
This project would not be possible without the support of our community, reflected in the generosity of our early funders:
Community Support
Ravalli County Credit Union
Bill & Rosemary Gallagher Foundation
Montana Mountain Made
Rapp Family Foundation
Montana Truss & Supply
Hockey Wolf
Montana Department of Commerce
Greater Ravalli Stock Farm Foundation
Schrock Painting, Roofing & Construction
TrailWest Bank
Jackson Construction
Play Like Robert Foundation
Mr. Asphalt
Bitterroot Health
Community donors like YOU!
Project Status
This project is shovel ready - our vendors are selected and we’re beginning to coordinate volunteers. All that’s left is closing our fundraising goal.
Our total fundraising goal for Year 1 of the ice rink is $205,000. This includes purchasing the rink itself, the refrigeration system, lighting, utilities, installation costs, equipment, and more. Luckily, due to an amazing response from early funders, as of Sept 1 we are already 88% of the way to our goal.
This means we still have an additional ~$23,000 to raise in order to close the gap and bring this space to life.
The Play Like Robert Foundation is currently matching community donations up to $5,000 to help us get across the finish line. Give now, and your gift goes twice as far toward opening day.
Get Involved
Looking to get involved? We’d love to hear from you! Please email foundation@visithamiltonmt.org to learn more about how you can support the Hamilton Community Ice Rink.
Ice Rink Committee
Join the committee dedicated to working through the logistics, installation, programming, and operations of the rink. You will serve as a community connector as we iron out the final rink details.
Rink Hosts
Volunteer at the rink! As a Rink Host, you will create a warm and welcoming environment for skaters, assisting with skate rentals, keeping the space clean, stocking the fire, and interacting with users.
Sponsorships
We are truly grateful for the sponsors who have supported the rink so far. We welcome additional support, including in-kind contributions. If your business is looking to get involved, please email us!
Local Support. Local Impact.
A one-time or monthly gift to the Foundation allows us to stay nimble and pursue more projects that serve our community.