There is plenty of activity in Naseby over the next few months, with the Maniototo Adventure Park hosting a range of winter sports events.

Three former entities covering curling, ice skating and luging have now joined under one new rebranded incorporation, which encompases Maniototo Curling International and the Gold Rush Luge.

Manager John Grant, who has a marketing background - including in winter sports in Queenstown, has come onboard to establish a new charitable trust and move it into more of a commercially sustainable operation.

“It’s about future-proofing these great little community activities and products for our range of customers to ensure that we exist into the future.”

To complement the ice luge that was built several years ago, the Gold Rush luge (Coronet Peaks’s former Cresta Run) was also opened before Christmas, extending the park to become a year-round attraction.

“Whilst there is a noticeable shift to the winter specific activities of skating, ice luging and outdoor curling, at this time of year, we continue to get lots of interest in the Gold Rush Luge. Despite some conditions being challenging to operate in, especially rain and heavy frost, it is cementing itself as an all-seasons attraction and we've noticed that for many people it is the major reason they've visited us. It's proving to be a very valuable addition to our product mix,” John said. 

Last weekend the outdoor ice rink had an official opening on Friday, June 21, where they unveiled a new name for the rink.

In the ceremony it was announced that the rink will now be named after a local stalwart of curling and all things ice — Naseby farmer Jock Scott.

Jock Scott, who the Naseby outdoor ice rink is now named after. PHOTO: The Central App

The Jock Scott Family Ice Rink acknowledges Mr Scott’s massive contribution to ice skating and other winter sports in the Maniototo.

“Jock has put his heart and soul into the ice here for more than 30 years”, John said.

‘‘The naming of the rink will appropriately honour him for his hugely generous commitment over the years.’’

This weekend there will be an ice festival in Naseby to celebrate the start of the season, and during the first weekend of the school holidays the park will be running the popular ice camps that give people a taste of curling, skating and ice hockey.

John said the Romanian Ice Luge coach was going to be involved in lessons, along with hockey and figuring skating coaches who will be arriving in July.

Karen Munroe with some goodies for the guests during the celebrations last week. PHOTO: The Central App

This weekend will also wind up the New Zealand Curling Champs that started on Wednesday.

John said a huge amount of money - in the hundreds of thousands, was spent on replacing the refrigeration plant at the ice rink, “so it’s an outdoor ice rink but it’s science assisted and machine assisted.”

That was the park’s commitment to upgrade it, make it more efficient and increase its sustainability.

“There's some heavy financial commitments that go into the operation of these businesses and especially with our climate changing. And, it's got noticeable, I mean, all you need to do is listen to the anecdotal chat around here of how ice used to be and how they had outdoor ice pretty much every year, you know, 50 to 75 years ago, like natural outdoor ice with no refrigeration equipment.”

Listen to more about what’s been happening out in Naseby, on The Outlet podcast.