Topeka moves forward with a permanent ice rink in downtown

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Topeka city leaders have signed off on a plan to transfer tax dollars to fund a downtown Topeka ice rink.

The move was a unanimous decision in Tuesday's city council meeting. The money is coming from the Transient Guest Tax that was set aside for the Evel Knievel Museum. The museum left the capital city back in November 2024. After allocating $300,000 for the museum, the city has up to $180,000 of undistributed funds for the ice rink. The money will be going towards building the rink's cement base, making the space available to be used year-round near Evergy Plaza.

District 9 Councilwoman Michelle Hoferer told 27 News the temporary ice rink at Evergy Plaza years ago was a hit, so she expects nothing less with this permanent installation.

"It was really well received, they had a lot of people come up for the skating sessions," Hoferer said. "And we don't have anything many options to go ice skating, so, I think it's just an advantage for the city to have that."

The project is expected to be built by the start of 2026.

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