City Hall skating fees raise some eyebrows
For family of four, with skate rentals, the cost is $86
By 
SHANE MURPHY, a resident of Springfield, was walking around Faneuil Hall with his date recently when he decided to visit the newly minted skating rink on Boston’s City Hall Plaza. Murphy said he enjoyed the festive atmosphere and the music, but he thought the ice skating fees were too high.
The second “Boston Winter” festival features a holiday shopping market and a flashy skating path shaped in a loop, complete with a lighted Christmas tree and tall, neon letters that spell Boston in the center. The shopping market is open free of charge to the public, but there is a $15 adult entrance fee for the skating rink and an $8 fee for children ages 5 to 12 (toddlers under 5 are free). Skate rentals cost $8 across the board.
For a family of four without skates, the cost would be $86. For Murphy and his date, the cost was $46.
“I thought it was way overpriced for what it was,” Murphy said, calculating aloud how much it would cost a family that needs to rent skates. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Oh, it [the skating fee] is definitely worth it for the experience in Boston,” said Carney, who works as a mental health counselor. “The setting makes for a good photo op with the Christmas tree and the big Boston lights. Makes you feel pride for the city.”
Carney couldn’t remember how much she paid but, according to the skating rink’s price list, she would have spent $23 since Carney and her two girls (one is a toddler) brought their own skates.
Tricia McCorkle, a spokeswoman for the Boston Garden Development Corporation, which operates plaza events under a three-year contract with the city, said that most events have been free to the public. She said the pricing for the ice rink is comparable to skating costs in and around the city.
“We encourage patrons to bring their own skates, and utilize the multiple discount opportunities that are available,” McCorkle said. There are 50 percent discounts for Boston residents, educators, military personnel, veterans, and college students (with ID). People with debit or credit cards from Berkshire Bank, a sponsor of events on City Hall plaza, get 50 percent off. Customers with Uber apps get $2 off. Children during school vacation week pay $5 and the city is distributing 50 percent off coupons to some community groups.
“Last year we had over 28,000 skaters in December and approximately 20,000 skaters cumulative in January and February,” McCorkle said. “I do not have a count for this year yet.”
In Boston, the Frog Pond rink may lack the chalet-style vendors and the Instragram-ready marquees, but the price of admission is less. Adults and kids over 58 inches are charged $6, while rentals are $12 for adults and $6 for children.