Government of Mexico City responds to climate change with a sustainable skating rink technology
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mexico City (December 16, 2019) The Government of Mexico City just opened the world’s largest skating rink on the city’s main square, known as Zócalo. A tradition in Mexico City for many years, for the first time in history this year’s holiday skating rink will use no water or power. Glice, a Swiss manufacturer of Eco-Ice, was selected by the City Government because of its unique sustainable skating surface that offers an ecological alternative to refrigerated ice, operates in any temperature, and comes with many economic benefits.
Compared to a conventional ice rink, the 4,000 m2 (43,000 ft2) eco-friendly alternative will save 185,000 liters (49,000 gallons) of water, the monthly energy consumption of 4,000 average households and 95 tons of CO2 emissions over the course of this event. “We are honored to offer the Mexico City residents a fun and eco-friendly skating experience this holiday season. Glice looks like ice, glides like ice, but isn’t ice,” said Co-Founder and CEO Viktor Meier. “It enables a great skating experience in locations where it would be ordinarily impossible to make and hold ice.”
“Our new Eco-Rink offers the joy of ice skating without the negative environmental impact related to the operation of conventional ice rinks,” said Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, Head of Government Mexico City. Furthermore, skaters don’t get wet, and the shock-absorbing properties of the Eco-Ice decrease the risk of injuries. Local residents benefit from the absence of generator noises and our new rink has a capacity of 1,200 skaters.
“We are excited to bring our Glice Eco-Rink to Mexico City and enable the local community to enjoy skating fun in a sustainable way,” said Hans Broder, Director of Glice Mexico. “We anticipate that our eco-friendly rinks can be used in many parts of our country to offer Mexicans a new and unique experience.”
The rink will be open to the public from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. every day starting December 15 to the first week of January.
About Glice:
Employing a revolutionary Eco-Ice technology, Glice brings sustainable ice sports to every corner of the planet, from classical winter sport nations to the tropics. Since 2012, Glice has installed more than 1,500 Eco-Rinks in over 80 countries. The Glice eco-skating rink technology uses no power, water, chemicals or resurfacing equipment to operate and offers an ecological and economical alternative to refrigerated ice.
Here you can download photos and videos of this project ready for release (copyright Glice).
More updates, photos and video materials will follow here soon
Inauguration of the World’s Largest Skating Rink: Glice Eco-Rink in Mexico City
Crowds skating on the ice rink after it opened to the public
Claudia Sheinbaum, Head of Government Mexico City, accompanied by Swiss ambassador to Mexico Eric Mayoraz, Glice CEO Viktor Meier, and Secretary of Government Rosa Icela Rodríguez
Public skating on the Glice Zócalo Rink during the inauguration
Daytime bird`s eye view of the Zócalo with the Glice Eco-Rink
The enormous Glice Zócalo Rink during the inauguration seen from a drone
The Zócalo Glice Eco-Rink by night during the opening ceremony
Glice CEO Viktor Meier in front of the world’s largest ecological skating rink at the Zócalo in Mexico City
First skaters on the world’s largest Eco-Rink
Figure skating athlete David Flores on the Glice Eco-Rink
Hockey Pro Sebastián Alcantara dribbling on the Glice Rink
Kids skating on the Glice Eco-Ice
Figure skating on the Glice Zócalo Rink
Figure skating show on the Glice Rink
Skating on the ecological Glice-Ice
The Glice Eco-Rink at night
Glice CEO Viktor Meier, Glice Mexico Director Hans Broder and Glice LATAM Director Thomas Michel supervising the installation
Glice Mexico Director Hans Broder during the installation of the historic ice rink
The Glice Team during the installation of the world’s largest Eco-Rink
Glice CEO Viktor Meier and Glice Mexico Director Hans Broder getting ready for the installation
Glice CEO Viktor Meier and Glice Mexico Director Hans Broder at the Zócalo in Mexico City, pointing to the location where the rink will be set up
