Kegel's Inn, 5901 W. National Ave., has donated its ice rink to create a new skating experience open to all at Liberty Heights Park in West Allis.
The rink was opened outside the restaurant in January 2020. You can now find it at the park, which is just two blocks from the restaurant at 1540 S. 62nd St. It debuted at West Allis' recent Winter Week.
The rink – which was filled with water courtesy of the West Allis Fire Department – is operated by the Liberty Heights Neighborhood Association and City Light, and runs through March 3.
Free skate rentals – toddler sizes 10 to men’s 12 – are available every Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30 until 6:30 p.m.
According to the LHPNA, “You're welcome to ‘skate’ with shoes or boots if you'd prefer.”
Broomball equipment is also available.
There’s a warming house with free hot chocolate and indoor activities, too. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there’s also free Rocky Rococo pizza and chai tea from Lake Effect Coffee Co.
According to Julian Kegel, more kids programming is in the works, including a partnership with nearby Horace Mann School.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
