A sudden end to the magic

Rain on the 8th December spoiled the fun for many Zug families who wanted to enjoy a few hours of skating on the "Herti Zauber." outdoor ice rink. Because everyone with rented skates had to leave the ice around midday.
 

A young mother told the Zuger Zeitung newspaper that her family had barely arrived at the "Herti Zauber" ice rink on the morning of the 8th December, and had managed to get two of the coveted ice rink animals (Leittiere) for the children, before they were asked to leave the ice. "The children were very disappointed," she said. The supervisor in charge kindly let them skate a few more rounds, but neglected to mention that the indoor rink was also open to the public. "So we returned the rented skates and went home."

The website of the operating company, Kunsteisbahn Zug AG (KEB), stated the following: "The outdoor ice rink remains open, even in bad weather – but skate rentals are not available when the ice is wet; you are only permitted to skate with your own skates."

An empty ice rink: a small lake formed on the "Herti Zauber" rink in front of the OYM Hall on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception due to the warm weather and rain.           Photo: KEB
The ‘Herti-Zauber’ winter wonderland in front of the OYM Hall in Zug on the occasion of its opening at the end of November.
Well-attended: The ‘Herti Magic’ event on the opening day at the end of November 
An ice path leads around the winter village
A hot drink to refuel: Numerous food and drink options cater to visitors' needs in the "Herti-Zauber" winter village.           
Photos: Matthias Jurt
 

Wet feet spoil the fun
Rental skates are used by several people on the same day, explained Patrick Jehli, Managing Director of KEB, and skate models that are completely soaked need up to 48 hours to dry properly. “If we were to hand out skates on the outdoor rink while tt is raining, the first customer might enjoy using them, but, for everyone else, the skates would then be wet, heavy and cold, and therefore neither comfortable nor safe to use.”

Using your own skates, however, is no problem. “The ice thickness is regularly checked and remains stable and safe, even when there is precipitation.” The only issue is that your feet would quickly get wet and cold on a wet ice rink, which isn't exactly pleasant.

When the KEB management saw that people with rented skates could no longer use the outdoor rink on the recent public holiday, they asked them to leave the ice, and provided them with a replacement ticket for another day. “Our priority was to offer a fair and transparent solution despite the weather,” said Patrick Jehli. The skate rental remained open, however, because children and adults could continue skating in the indoor training hall.    

Processes are being analysed
The operators of "Herti-Zauber" have learned from the incident: "We are currently analysing the processes and decision-making criteria surrounding the operation of the outdoor ice rink in changeable weather," explained Patrick Jehli. The goal is to find clear, comprehensible solutions for future situations that are as convenient as possible for visitors –in terms of both communication and operational procedures.

Nonetheless, the KEB is already drawing a decidedly positive conclusion, after less than a month. “We could clearly see that, with the ‘Herti Magic’, we have created a very popular offering for the community,” notes Patrick Jehli. The response has been positive, and the KEB intends to continuously develop the experience for visitors.