CREATING COMMUNITY ON AND OFF THE ICE. The Eau Claire Figure Skating Club has called the Hobbs Ice Arena its home ice since its founding in 1979. While recent city budget-related conversations have brought the rink and user groups like the figure skating club into local headlines, they should also serve as a reminder of the unique opportunities available right in our backyard – like ice skating.

The Eau Claire Figure Skating Club (ECFSC) has learned to anticipate a bump in community interest when the Winter Olympics roll back around every four years.

While the Chippewa Valley does not claim to be an Olympics-level skating scene, it too boasts a healthy ice and figure skating community – the latter perhaps embodied best through the ECFSC.

Since its founding in 1979, the local nonprofit has welcomed first-time and seasoned skaters of all ages. ECFSC has called Hobbs Ice Arena its home all that time, using the ice alongside community members and other organizations – or user groups – which frequent the facility. 

Over the past month, the 93,000-square-foot ice arena found itself in local headlines for reasons beyond its community events and skating programming.

As the City of Eau Claire continues conversations around its projected $2.2 million budget deficit for 2027, one of several paths recently considered included the transfer of Hobbs Ice Arena ownership from the City to a separate partner organization – like the user groups.

"I think that's really a silver lining of the situation; our coming together more intentionally."

KRISTY CASTO

PRESIDENT OF ECFSC, ON THE RECENT CONVERSATION BETWEEN CITY OF EAU CLAIRE AND USER GROUPS ON OWNERSHIP OF HOBBS ICE ARENA

Through the statewide Innovation Grant program, the City could plug some holes in its multi-million dollar deficit by transferring ownership of public facilities like Hobbs. The grant program could provide funds to cover part of the costs associated with transferring facility ownership, in an effort to give municipalities some financial relief. (Ultimately, the City moved forward with another public facility, the Eau Claire Soccer Park, in pursuit of the grant.)

One of the hurdles of the Innovation Grant program is the tight application window. The deadline to apply for the Innovation Grant is March 31; user groups were approached by the City with the idea on March 6, ECFSC President Kristy Casto said.

While it no longer seems Hobbs Ice Arena is in the mix for the Innovation Grant program, the topic has sparked more communication between its user groups.

“I think through the whole situation, we are now working more closely (with the other user groups) than we have in the past,” Kristy said during a recent interview. “Now we’re starting to talk with each other more intentionally and keeping the lines of communication open versus just kind of saying hello in passing.

“I think that’s really a silver lining of the situation; our coming together more intentionally,” she said.

Crossover between the user groups on the ice at Hobbs may be somewhat limited, but that’s not due to lack of use – it’s a result of the opposite.

Scheduling time at Hobbs can be quite intensive, Kristy said, due to the unique position the Eau Claire arena is in. Not only is Hobbs one of the only public, three-sheet facilities in the wider region, the quality of the ice also draws in people from outside the Chippewa Valley.

“The ice in this arena, its quality – it’s unmatched in the area,” Kristy said. “Maintaining that operational integrity and level of access isn’t only important to the user groups but also the community. It’s easy to forget it’s really a community space.”

If one does forget, just look to the Hobbs schedule. There are only three days in the month of April without at least one event. Most days will see multiple events by several area groups on the ice, including ECFSC’s open skate slots and its annual Figure Skating Ice Show.

"We encourage everybody to give (skating) a try because it really can be a lifelong activity if you want it to be. It's another option to keep healthy and to meet people, year-round."

KRISTY CASTO

PRESIDENT OF ECFSC

ECFSC has two signature annual events. This past February, the group hosted its 37th annual Eau Claire Figure Skating Competition – also the nonprofit’s largest fundraiser – welcoming 280 skaters for individual events and over 40 teams for its synchronized team competition.

From April 17-19, ECFSC will host its second signature event, the 47th annual Eau Claire Figure Skating Ice Show.

“(This show) is a chance for all of our club skaters to get involved if they so choose to. It’s a different environment from a competition,” Kristy said. “It’s really an opportunity to be creative, try different choreography or incorporate skills you’ve been working on that you maybe aren’t ready to compete with.

“We find that (the Eau Claire Figure Skating Ice Show) really brings people together in terms of the skaters from different groups getting to work together,” she continued.

Folks do not need to be a member of the Eau Claire Figure Skating Club to attend its events – including the popular "Learn to Skate" program – but there are ample opportunities to get more involved, should you choose.

ECFSC is a member-driven organization, offering several tiers based on interest and skill: Junior Club, described as “a bridge program between (learners) and Senior Club”; Senior Club; Collegiate; Adult Skating; Associate; and Senior Club.

Currently, ECFSC has nearly 70 skating members. During the organization’s most popular event, its “Learn to Skate” program offered multiple times a month, about as many people attend each session – no membership is required to participate.

ECFSC has about 13 coaches (as well as collegiate coaches), several of which have competitive skating experience, ready to support skaters of all abilities.

For a glimpse into the Eau Claire area’s figure skating scene, snag a ticket to ECFSC’s annual figure skating show, slated for April 17-19 at Hobbs.

“We encourage everybody to give (skating) a try because it really can be a lifelong activity if you want it to be,” Kristy said. “It’s another option in the community to keep healthy and to meet people, year-round.

“Skating (at Hobbs) is still one of the best bargains in town. For two hours of skating, it's just $5.50!” 

You do not need to be a member of the Eau Claire Figure Skating Club to attend its events • For those interested in becoming a member of ECFSC, learn more about membership tiers online (www.ecfigureskate.org) or reach out at ecfigureskating@gmail.com • Keep up with the group's recurring events online via social media