Ice rink opens at Letná

A new ice rink for use by the public has opened in Letenská pláň (Letná plain) in Prague 7. The rink will be open until Jan. 1 and skaters can use it from 9 am to 9 pm, with the exception of Dec. 24 when it closes at 4 pm. There will be daily activities for children such as games and competitions from 10 to 6 pm. Skate rental will also be available.

The program at the rink includes visits by sport stars such as acrobatic skier Aleš Valenta, decathlete Roman Šebrle and volleyball players Barbora Hermannová and Markéta Sluková.

The 1998 Olympic ice hockey victory at Nagano will be remembered on Dec. 17 with members of that team. The end of the year of Prague being a capital of sports will be marked Dec. 10 and there will be a New Year celebration on Dec. 31. People from children's homes will be welcomed Jan. 1.

This is not the only rink in the city. There are others at na Františku and Ovocný trh in Prague 1 and Mahlerovy sady at the Žižkov TV Tower in Prague 3. Some shopping malls will also offer skating. The roof of Galerie Harfa has a rink. Others are at Arkády Pankrác and Centrum Černý Most.

Winter stadiums also offer the public the opportunity to skate on weekends. Zimní stadion Nikolajka is in Prague 5, Stadion Kobra Novodvorská is in Prague 4, ZS Hvězda is in Prague 6 and Malá sportovní hala is in Výstaviště in Prague 7.