Breaking news: So apparently there is this thing called ice, which is what happens when water gets so cold it actually freezes. Not only that, but some people actually strap metal blades on their feet and ‘skate’ around on said frozen water. Who knew? Even cooler (get it?), this crazy new trend has landed in the Valley as not one, but two outdoor skating rinks will be open through the end of December.

First up is the NRG CityScape Ice Rink (pictured), which opened this past Saturday inside this $900M shopping, dining and office complex in Downtown Phoenix. Located on an elevated portion of CityScape’s new Patriots Square plaza, the rink is open to the public daily from 3 to 11 pm through January 15, 2011. Here, for a mere $10 skaters can twirl and triple-Lutz as long as they like, all while enjoying traditional holiday music, warming hot chocolate and soaking in the glow of a soaring Holiday Tree. You can even “Skate with Santa” every night at 6 and 8 pm through December 22.

So how is this possible here in the Valley of the Sun? The rink’s ice will be powered by the NRG Energy Center Phoenix, a massive underground cooling system that provides air conditioning to buildings throughout Downtown Phoenix by pumping ice-cold air through a series of underground tunnels. Located just south of Chase Field, the plant creates super-cooled air all day long by melting ice inside large tanks, and then rebuilding the ice at night for the next day as a way to reduce electricity peaks during the day. You know, that old chestnut.

Meanwhile, across town in Scottsdale, another ice rink is opening for the month of December outside of a high-end furniture showroom. Named Winter Enchantment, this synthetic ice rink is located on the front patio of Palavela Home in the heart of Downtown Scottsdale. Open to the public from 11 am to 9 pm daily, $15 gets you a 45 minute session – skates included. Even better, 15 percent of all sales in the store and 15 percent of skate rentals will go to worthy local charities such as Ryan House and the AZ Chapter of the ALS Association. Call 480-946-1006 or email palavelahome@aol.com for details.

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