What We Learned at the Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena

As part of our ongoing professional development, the Live Baltimore team likes to explore different neighborhoods and local amenities throughout Baltimore City. Our latest adventure took us to the Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena, a Baltimore City Recreation and Parks facility open year-round to ice-skating enthusiasts. Keep reading to learn how you can take advantage of their various amenities and programs!

Who Skates Here?

Located at 6101 Hillen Road and nestled between the Loch Raven and Hamilton Hills neighborhoods in North Baltimore, the Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena has been a staple in the community for decades. In addition to its daily open skate hours, Mt. Pleasant hosts several local high school and collegiate hockey teams. These schools include Calvert Hall College High School, Gilman School, Bryn Mawr School, Loyola University Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University.

Amenities & Programs

When Mt. Pleasant visitors aren’t skating on the NHL-regulated 300-person ice rink, they can take advantage of newly renovated locker rooms with showers, a multipurpose room (available for reservation for private events and parties), and a pro shop full of all their ice sporting needs. And if you’re not the strongest skater, you can join the Learn & Skate program, an educational class for skaters of all ages, held every Tuesday and Saturday.

“The Zam”!

One of the arena’s most prized possessions is its $2+ million Zamboni. This Zamboni, lovingly referred to as “The Zam,” is Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena’s most frequent skater. Operated by specially trained staff, this massive machine sets out on the ice several times a day to maintain its NHL and Olympic-standard quality.

More Baltimore City Rec and Parks Facilities

The Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena isn’t the only Baltimore City Recreation and Parks (BCRP) facility. During the winter months, you can also try ice skating at the Mimi DiPietro Family Skating Center in Patterson Park. If you prefer to skate on wheels instead of blades, we recommend the Shake & Bake Family Fun Center, which has both a roller skating rink and a bowling alley. Additionally, Shake and Bake hosts a recurring job fair from 10 am to 2 pm on the first Saturday of every month for positions within BCRP special facilities. If skating just isn’t what you’re looking for at all, you can look into the Upton Boxing Center in the historic Upton neighborhood in West Baltimore or the Middle Branch Fitness and Wellness Center in the Cherry Hill neighborhood in South Baltimore. Either way, Baltimore residents have a variety of options for recreation in the city!

After receiving this incredibly informative tour (and tripping on the ice a little), our team left this adventure a lot more knowledgeable about our city. If you enjoy ice skating, want to see a great hockey game, or have never worn a pair of ice skates in your life, this is the facility for you. The amazing and friendly staff can’t wait to assist you! According to Desmond Tisdale, General Manager of Baltimore City Recreation & Parks Special Facilities Division, “We don’t do this job just for the money. We do it because we really care about the community.”