Mérida Ice Rink is Open — But How Does It Work in This Climate?

Watching families glide across the ice in Mérida, of all places, offers a glimpse of how engineering can bend reality

When Saturday’s thermometer hit 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) in Mérida, hundreds of families lined up to do something that seems impossible in this tropical city: ice skating.

The free “Magia sobre Hielo” rink opened Dec. 7 along Paseo de Montejo and Avenida Colon, transforming one of Yucatán’s hottest avenues into a winter wonderland. But the real magic isn’t the holiday lights or the four-meter slide. It’s the refrigeration technology that keeps 250 square meters (820 square feet) of ice frozen while palm trees sway overhead.

Mérida sits on the 20th parallel, where average temperatures hover between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. Snow has never fallen here. Yet Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada told opening-night crowds that the rink — measuring 25 by 10 meters — represents the city’s commitment to bringing unique experiences to all residents.

The technology making this possible isn’t new. It’s the same mechanical refrigeration system that keeps your home fridge cold, just scaled up dramatically. Under the skating surface, a network of pipes carries super-chilled brine — a calcium chloride solution that stays liquid even at temperatures well below freezing. As this brine circulates through the floor, it pulls heat from the water above, forming ice layers that build up gradually to about two centimeters thick.

Ice rinks have operated in warm climates for decades. Mexico City’s Zócalo has hosted an ice rink at temperatures up to 30 degrees Celsius since 2012. Monterrey built northern Mexico’s first regulation ice hockey rink in 2005, engineered specifically for ambient temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit).

The system works through three main components. A chiller cools the brine to around negative 10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit). Pumps push this frigid liquid through embedded floor pipes at roughly 3,400 liters per minute (900 gallons). The brine absorbs heat from the ice surface, then returns to the chiller to cool down again. The cycle repeats continuously.

What makes tropical ice rinks challenging isn’t just air temperature. Humidity, ground heat, and sun exposure all work against the refrigeration system. That’s why the Paseo de Montejo rink includes insulation layers and requires constant monitoring to maintain ice quality.

The city positioned the rink at Justo Sierra circle as part of its larger “Mérida Brilla” festival, which runs through early January with free activities across the capital. Arturo León Itzá, director of social development, said the rink will accommodate 500 skaters daily during weekdays, expanding to 900 on weekends.

Access is free but controlled. Tickets distribute at the entrance starting when gates open. Weekday hours run 4 to 9 p.m. Weekend sessions split into two blocks: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4 to 9 p.m. The rink closes Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, with reduced hours Dec. 24 and 31.

Children must be eight or older to skate. Those under 10 need adult supervision. The city provides skates at no charge, but visitors must bring their own socks — a requirement for using the rental skates. For kids who don’t know much about ice skating — we presume that’s most kids here — there are sea lion supports to hang on to.

Schools and civic groups can reserve 30-minute sessions for groups of 45 through the municipal development office. This aims to extend the experience beyond families who can visit during regular hours.

The rink joins other holiday attractions, drawing crowds to the city center through early January. Combined with the Christmas tree, night markets, and light displays, the installations transform the historic avenue into what officials hope becomes an annual tradition.

Lee Steele

Lee Steele is the founding director of Mérida-based Roof Cat Media S de RL de CV and has published Yucatán Magazine and other titles since 2012. He was Hearst Connecticut’s Sunday Magazine creative director and worked in New York City for various magazine publishers, including Condé Nast and Primedia, for over 20 years.