That time that Ice Skate Birmingham spend two Winter seasons in Eastside City Park

While Ice Skate Birmingham is enjoying a successful return to Centenary Square for the 2019-20 winter season. Do you remember when they had to spend two winters in Eastside City Park? First year was 2017-18 on a part of the HS2 land. Then 2018-19 on Eastside Green. This was due to the redevelopment of Centenary Square which wasn't completed until the summer of 2019.

Happy New Year 2020. Christmas might be over and we have just had New Year's but doesn't mean Ice Skate Birmingham has closed down yet. Looking back to the two winter seasons over in Eastside.

November 2017 to January 2018

It was open from Thursday 16th November 2017 until Sunday 7th January 2018 at Eastside City Park. They were using land that belongs to HS2.

Setting up during late October 2017 on Eastside Green. This view after 5pm from Fazeley Street.

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Before opening in November 2017. The view of the Birmingham Big Wheel and Millennium Point from the train from the Chase Line leaving Birmingham New Street.

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This view from the Snow Hill lines heading into Birmingham Moor Street. The Emporium building was under construction behind the Birmingham Big Wheel. With Jennens Court and the Birmingham Ormiston Academy to the right.

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Sunset behind Curzon Street Station with the Birmingham Big Wheel sandwiched between that and the Rotunda.

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For 2017 / 18 Ice Skate Birmingham had a ride called the Wild Mouse. Bit like a mini roller coaster. This was near New Canal Street.

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During December 2017. The view from the top of Moor Street Car Park. The Emporium was still going up, while there were other rides near the Birmingham Big Wheel (bit hard to see from this view).

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Nightshot views of the Birmingham Big Wheel. This view from New Canal Street. Headed back to the Bullring via Digbeth.

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The Wild Mouse ride lit up after dark. With Curzon Street Station, The Curzon Building, University Locks (of Birmingham City University) and The Woodman behind, in this New Canal Street view.

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Still on New Canal Street as the Birmingham Big Wheel was lit up and the ride to the right was spinning. It was called The King.

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Closing down during January 2018. Ice Skate Birmingham had it's last day on Sunday 7th January 2018. At the time I wasn't sure if it would return to Eastside or Westside. In the end they got permission to return to Eastside City Park as Centenary Square was still not finished during 2018.

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November 2018 to January 2019

They couldn't use the HS2 land this time around, so they used the land where the water fountain jets are, and the lawn down to Park Street instead. It was open this from Saturday 17th November 2018 until Sunday 6th January 2019.

These views from November 2018. View of the Birmingham Big Wheel once again outside of Millennium Point. Seen from a Chiltern Railways train I was on, heading into Birmingham Moor Street. Was closer to The Woodman this time around.

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This view of the Birmingham Big Wheel from the bridge over the Grand Union Canal (Digbeth Branch) from Grear Barr Street in Digbeth. The canal buildings up Warwick Bar are up here. To the right was Curzon Street Station, and behind was Birmingham Metropolitan College - Matthew Boulton Campus).

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The view looking up Curzon Street towards the Birmingham Big Wheel, with Masshouse behind. Curzon Street Station to the left.

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Another view of Ice Skate Birmingham from the top of Moor Street Car Park. The land used a year before was now an HS2 site. Monkey World ride to the left.

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Now in December 2018, was heading into Eastside City Park to see the Coca Cola truck again, as it was raining. But first up, headed up to Moor Street Car Park again for a nightshot view of the Birmingham Big Wheel. Visibility was poor and I couldn't see the Coca Cola Christmas truck from up here, so headed down and into the park.

My Coca Cola Christmas Truck in Birmingham over the years post is here.

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As I walked up Park Street towards Eastside City Park, it was freezing cold, wet, sleeting and raining. Not what I would call festive weather! First close up look at the Birmingham Big Wheel lit up after dark.

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The Bar & Ice Skating area, seen near the main entrance of Eastside City Park. My camera was getting wet as I headed in. I was soaking! But the ice rink was covered, so those enjoying an ice skate were dry.

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Passing the ice rink, wasn't much to see from here into the ice rink, but got interesting lighting effects from the Big Wheel and the wet weather.

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A couple of days later and it was now dry in Eastside City Park. A look at the ice rink from the outside.

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It is now January 2019, and the Birmingham Big Wheel has already been taken down. The ice rink was behind fences as they started to dismantle it. This was around 5 days after Ice Skate Birmingham had finished for the year.

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This was the last time it was in Eastside. Around 10 months later (October 2019), they were setting up Ice Skate Birmingham in Centenary Square again (first time since 2016-17). It opened on the 7th November 2019 and it is due to close on the 12th January 2020.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.