MOSES LAKE — Temperatures may be falling, but not quickly enough for the city’s ice rink to open Friday as previously scheduled, according to city officials.

Ice skating lessons and the Moses Lake Parks and Recreation Department’s beginning hockey program will be postponed, and make-up dates will be provided, department officials wrote in a social media post.

“We expect to start building ice on Monday, November 16th, which takes days to complete,” the post added.

While health officials and state guidelines have already allowed for hockey and ice skating lessons at the rink, it’s still unclear whether public skating will be permitted.

However, city officials expressed some confidence that the rink will eventually open to the public this season and are working to prepare safety measures to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission.

“Once approved, public skate will look different this season to keep everyone safe with skating sessions and time slots between each session where staff are able to take time to sanitize all points of contact,” according to the social media post. “There’s still a lot to be determined as we work to get approval for public skate which we hope to share as we know more.”

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.