Fifteen years after a fire turned Sacramento’s Iceland ice rink into a longtime void on Del Paso Boulevard, the beloved sheet of ice is closer than ever to getting a permanent roof and a full-time revival. The Kerth family and rink organizers say an initial city planning review has signed off on the current design, and they are now working on financing and permits for a roughly $2 million rebuild. If everything stays on track, construction could start early next year and the rink could be back in business by mid-2026.
Plan cleared an initial city review
According to The Sacramento Bee, the latest proposal passed its first city planning check last Wednesday, with Hausman Architecture listed as the design firm on the filing. The documents name Rob Kerth as the agent for American Iceland LLC and designate Terrie Kerth as executive director of the nonprofit that would operate the rebuilt facility.
How the rebuild will be paid for
The project leans heavily on public funding approved by the city in 2023, including a roughly $1.2–$1.3 million forgivable loan to pay for a new metal roof and a separate $125,000 loan for façade improvements, as reported by KCRA. The forgivable portion is tied to performance benchmarks, such as minimum public skating hours, skate-school scholarships and youth programming, which would allow parts of the loan to be forgiven if the nonprofit hits those targets.
A long local history and an unsolved fire
The rink first opened in 1940 under William Kerth Sr. and has remained in the Kerth family for generations, as noted by Sacramento News & Review. In March 2010, the building was gutted in a suspected arson fire. Volunteers then spent months helping to rebuild, and local TV coverage documented Iceland’s return to operation within a year of the blaze, as per CBS Sacramento. The rink later ran as an open-air venue for several seasons before pandemic shutdowns, and organizers have continued posting construction and reopening updates as they push for a fully covered comeback, as mentioned by the rink’s official website.
Timeline and next steps
The Sacramento Bee reports that city staff could issue their feedback by December 15, 2025, and the Kerth family has said construction could start as soon as February, with a potential June 2026 reopening on the calendar. The submission lists Craig Hausman of Hausman Architecture as the designer and outlines operations under the Sacramento Iceland nonprofit, which organizers say would emphasize public skating sessions, lessons and youth-focused programs.
What it could mean for Del Paso Boulevard
Local officials and nearby business owners say a year-round rink could inject new life into a persistently challenged stretch of Del Paso Boulevard, especially by drawing more evening and weekend visitors, a point raised repeatedly during the 2023 council vote and in subsequent coverage. KCRA noted that council members framed the city’s funding as part of a larger push to revitalize the corridor. If financing and permits come together, organizers expect strong annual attendance and an expanded slate of free or low-cost skating lessons for neighborhood youth.
