Blue Mountains Ice Skating Rink opens up in Fairmont Resort Leura

A hotelier and surgeon is bringing a white Christmas to greater western Sydney in the form of a solar powered ice rink he says is ‘turning sunshine into ice”.

Dr Jerry Schwartz has opened up Blue Mountains Ice Skating Rink

A solar-powered ice skating rink has opened in the Blue Mountains suburb of Leura, the only one in the region, with the owners promising a ‘white Christmas’.

As an addition to the Dr Jerry Schwartz-owned Fairmont Resort, the Blue Mountains Ice Skating Rink is open to the general public, and powered by one of the two solar farms the businessman owns in the Hunter Valley, which he proudly says is : “turning sunshine into ice”.

Measuring 600 sqm the rink is suitable for beginners and experienced skaters, has disability accessible facilities and ‘penguins’ available for hire offering an assisted way to get around the rink.

The surgeon and hotel magnate says he has big plans for the rink to suit various community needs.

“A winter resort really just lends itself to the area and we want it to be somewhere for locals to go so they don’t have to travel, I’m thinking ice shows, ice concerts and hopefully an exhibition space.”

Inside the new ice skating rink. Source: Fairmont Resort

Skaters pictured with the penguins

Dr Schwartz also says there have been ongoing discussions with local sporting clubs about the possibility of winter sports teams using the rink as a home ground.

“As well as being a leisure centre we want it to be a destination for both aspiring winter Olympic champions and local sports teams to train.”

Open seven days a week, the Blue Mountains Ice Skating Rink is the only one of its kind in the Blue Mountains area following the closure of the Penrith Ice Palace in June.