The Providence Rink

My 5 year old daughter was kicked off the ice because it was her 1^st time skating and me as a parent wanted to help her learn without having to wear skates myself and both of us falling. All rules were read and it states children under 12 must be with an adult. No where does it state the adult has to wear skates. She wouldn’t have lasted more than 20 minutes trying to learn and we were standing by the wall out of everyone’s way. When we were rudley asked to leave. My daughter in tears could not understand why a guy by name of ‘John” who stated he was a manager was throwing a 5 year old girl off the ice. When asked for his manager he stated he had no manager. He seemed like a 40 year old cashier being paid minimum wage who was taking his frustrations out on a 5 year old and her mother. After writing to corporate no one could show me where does it state an adult must wear skates when on ice with a child who is learning to skate. The situation was handled very poorly and obviously «John» should not be a manager or even in customer service dealing with public if he is not trained properly. I am a shareholder and at my next meeting we will discuss some staff changes and proper training for new employees on how to deal with public. Also local channel news network found this to be an interesting story which will make everyone aware of how our tax payer’s money is spent on poor training of public park employees.

Great place to go ice skating they open late and they have nice music playing also if u got kids they got little cute penguins to hold onto while ice skating so u don’t fall

I went here for the first time. What’s the point of these children they hire to monitor the ice if all they do is stand there and talk to each other. When I suggested that maybe they should do something to elevate congestion… since gaggles of teenagers kept forming… they stated it wasn’t illegal and that they didn’t think «shooing» them would work. I said «it wouldn’t hurt to try.» Because really, it wouldn’t. They lost their power as staff members so the ice was anarchy.
If you are a couple looking for romantic time or a family with kids, steer clear of this teenager hoodlum hangout. I don’t ever plan on returning for the choppy ice or poorly taken care of skates.
Finally I must state that the layout is dumb. Go to patriot place, it’s better.

The original home of Providence Roller Derby! This is where it all began for us in 2004! Located right in the heart of Providence, this rink holds events throughout the summer and ice skating through the winter. You can also catch a few of our games there from time to time! Be sure to follow them so you don’t miss any of the fun!

*Note: This is a review of the rink as a summer event space. I have yet to go in the wintertime.*
Smack dab in the middle of Providence is an ice rink. Naturally, it’s not going to get a lot of attention in the summer months, which is why they’ve smartly turned it into an event space as well. I attended a large scale Unilocal event for about 400 – 500 people. I have to say, this makes a perfect outdoor space for a large group of people. It’s surrounded by beautiful buildings. It’s well-​lit and lined with speakers, making it east to dance to the music and see what you’re doing well after nightfall. It has a couple power outlets, which believe me is always important for event planners when considering «raw spaces.» The gates up front work nicely in controlling crowds as they enter.
I forget the name of the lady in charge down there, but she was beyond nice and patient with the mob of people who came down. Half of working with a venue is how you get along with those who run/​own it, and this woman was an absolute pleasure.

The girl issuing the rental skates was cocky and unhelpful. I will go as far to say that she was rude. I think she thought she was being cute and maybe that works in the movies, but she was someone that could use some customer service scripting! Abner was ready to really let her have it, after he got a sarcastic remark from her when he mentioned the poor quality of skates were that they are renting. Dear Roller Skate Rental Counter Girl: When a paying customer tells you a complaint, you do the best to resolve it and make it right. Apologizing for the inconvenience is part of that conversation. I guess handling strange stinky shoes and skates all night makes you a little short by the end of the night. But, I digress…
Since I had my own skates and Abner had to rent his, cranky pants rental girl would not let me store my shoes with his. So, she said we had to walk all the way back to the entrance to pay for a $ 2.00 locker and then walk back. There was no way I was doing that and plunked my shoes under a bush. Worked fine for me.
I think I made the mistake of going on a Saturday night. It was very crowded and the ice was not in the best condition (or not in the condition that I’m used to with my local ice rink). So, we didn’t stay long at all. Just as we were leaving though, they cleared the ice and the Zamboni was coming out, so maybe we just got there at a bad time.
In less than an hour, we had enough and went to McCormick & Schmitts across the street for hot drinks and dessert (but that’s another Unilocal review).
I can see how skating here could be fun, with being in the middle of the city, but I think I’m going to stick to my local rink in the future. At least I know I can count on ice in good condition and friendly staff.

Fun Place to skate and nice they also rent skates there. We managed to get a fairly close parking spot on the side. There could be more seating for those who aren’t skating though. Also the snack counter should definitely be opened at all times. The girl working subway counter runs it so everytime someone wanted a snack or hot chocolate they had to ask at Subway and she’d say I’ll be there in a few minutes. We waiting about 20 mins for a soft pretzel and 2 hot chocolates.

The most you can have in the PVD for $ 5 (with a $ 20 deposit, of course…).
City views, oodles of fun and a current soundtrack, to boot. Aside from the seasonal skate, did you know the rink can be rented out for private events, as well? Now you do!
Park on the bricks, wait for the zamboni to finish, and enjoy that freshly shaved ice in the open air of downtown PVD. I swear it doesn’t get any better!

I have been taking my 8-​year-​old daughter skating at Thayer/​Wharburton Rink, in Warwick, but decided to take advantage of the near-​60 degree day yesterday (12÷21÷13) and enjoy time with her at the Providence outdoor rink.
We parked in a nearby garage as street parking was sparse. Walking to the entrance, my daughter commented on the loud, profane rap music blaring from a couple of passing cars. There were not a lot of people skating, but it was good to see some young children and families. I purchased an adult and child pass from an unfriendly and unsmiling employee.
Bench seating is limited. There was one staff rink guard skating around, obviously daydreaming and not enforcing any rules (if there are any — none I saw posted). Kids stopped in the middle of the ice in packs on their cell phones, others throwing large ice/​snow balls at one another, and someone spitting tobacco juice onto the ice (the stains increasing with each pass) made for an other than enjoyable afternoon. The ice wasn’t that great either, but that was due to the warm weather.
We skated for an hour then visited the adjacent Subway. An unfriendly employee had limited selections of bread, but made my daughter her BLT.
The outdoor experience is nice, but there is so much room for improvement. The people involved in supervising the staff need to step up and earn their paychecks.

i’m yet to skate here. I’ve seen concerts here though and its been a blast.

I have been going since day one! So many memories of hanging around drinking hot cocoa and watching people learning to skate. Its so nice to see the lil ones having fun. I learned to skate here and always enjoy hitting the ice! Some people are afraid to go but once you start skating… you really warm up! I will always consider this one of my most memorable places. Especially during xmas time when they usually play xmas music… youll see us singing and dancing along the wall!

I love this place. I used to be a decent skater, but the years away from the ice have atrophied my mad skillz and I wobble around like a Weeble on the ice. I don’t even care though, I still have a great time at this place, and there are all different skill levels out there just having fun. Even if I’m not on the ice, it’s fun to just hang out and watch the other skaters.
This is an affordable way to get a little exercise, spend some time outside and just have wintertime fun! I even like just walking past this place on my way somewhere else. The pop music is loud and infectious and you can hear the laughs and screams on the other side of the park.
The regular price for skating and skate rental is affordable, but the past two years they have run several Groupons as well. They’re open pretty much all day every day, so there is no excuse for not getting out there at least once a season. Go lace up your skates and I’ll see you on the ice!

This place is a lot of fun. Easy to rent your skates, and it’s just plain nice to see people outside and enjoying themselves, whether they’re gliding around or landing on their butts or somewhere in between. Of course your feet/​ankles will inevitably hurt like hell if you, like me, are not used to skating, but that comes with the territory. Great way to get outside for urban dwellers in winter. I went here on a Sunday afternoon, but I remember going a few years ago at night, and it’s really pretty all lit up.

Solid skating opportunities here, small feel and easy to rent skates and pretty cheap as far as ice skating goes. Great place to be outside on a cold day and get some exercise & have some fun at the same time.

Let me just start off by saying that I can NOT for the life of me ice skate. I fail miserably in that arena, but I can’t help but enjoy myself at this ice rink.
Being in the middle of the city of Providence makes this rink a great spot for any occasion, preferably a nice date with your sweetheart! I took my girlfriend here for a date a few weeks ago and she enjoyed herself so much. Who wouldn’t enjoy skating on an awesome winter day in the city? Bank of America, I salute you!
Cheap tickets + convenient rentals + ice = sweet skatin’.

I love that there is an ice rink in downtown Providence. It gives little Rhody a big city feel and who doesn’t love ice skating on a brisk winter day?

I love that Providence has a public skating rink!
I went last week with my boyfriend and I must say its so cute to ice skate on a weekend looking at downtown.
Although I really, really suck at ice skating. Its so fun and an awesome cheap date idea!

Weeee! There is nothing like whizzing along the ice, wind in your hair, and enjoying the glow of the Providence (the few that exist) skyscrapers looming above. This is ice skating at the Bank of America City Center at night and it rocks! I went on the opening day this year, Thanksgiving evening to be exact, and had a fantastic time. Sure you might need to pop on your ear buds in order to drown out the obnoxious popular music blaring out of the speakers. Aside from that, it is a lovely, and cheap, time regardless of the horrible music and masses of teenagers. It is only six dollars for the skating and four for the rental (if you need it). That is cheaper than seeing a movie nowadays. So, bundle up, strap on those skates, grab a friend or your significant other, and go out and have some winter-​y fun.

The Tape Art Installation Closing was wonderful. Great family fun. The Public Tea was a brilliant idea with a nice selection of biscuits, The Julian’s Omnibus had not only a good pulled pork wrap but excellent upstairs dining. The Extraordinary Rendition Band added to the spirit of the community removal of this awesome Tape Art Installation all caught on film. The whole day was a joy and a work of art. You should have been there!!!

RIP Fleet — this is the «Bank of America City Center» now
A few laps around this awesome rink always reminds me how much I love Providence. If the cheery snowflake lights, cheesy pop music, backdrop of cool PVD surrounding landmark buildings, and working up a little sweat in the cold air doesn’t chase your winter blahs if even for an hour — you are hopeless! Get out of New England and move to Florida!
I notice the Zamboni to be predictably diligent contrary to other reviews. Mornings, afternoons, nights — the only time I’ve felt it to be too crowded was Bright Night New Years Eve. I love the diverse cross section of people that come out to get their skate on, and I really love how it’s a part of Downcity — that you don’t need to pay to skate to hang out or pass by and watch.
You can get on their email list and there’s always a $ 2 off rental coupon at the footer. I’m happier since I just bought some cheap skates at Bob’s to avoid the process, torn laces, etc., even thought I only go a few times a year.
A couple of heads-​ups… yes, do watch out for those three-​year-​old-​hellions-​on-​ice and know they will dominate and shoot pucks between your legs after the P-​Bruins open practice sessions.
If you want to rent a locker (cheap. $ 1 or something) you have to pay AT THE FRONT, not in the actual locker room.
Happy skating!

I agree with Kate B.‘s review. Obviously, did not visit the skating rink, but sometime in January…
If you go on a weeknight, you will have the rink almost completely to yourself since the high school kids have to be in bed. Cheap skate rentals make this a lovely date night.
The best part about the rink is the location– when you are skating you can see the towers that make up downtown Providence, and enjoy the fresh cold air. Its like Rockefeller plaza, except much bigger and less crowded, and less expensive.

The rink is great! Right in the heart of the downtown high rises, the BoA center is a great place for friends, couples, kids, and families to skate around. The prices are reasonable, and rental skates are available. A low cost way to have some fun or kill some time.