From chunchmeow: "It might just be a regional thing, but rinks are closing in my area because they just can't afford the taxes and fees to keep open. The survivors seem to be in poor neighborhoods where security is an issue so they end up getting a bad rap. Also, because of the rise in condos and the slow disappearance of the middle-class blue collar worker, rinks are being sold for storage to the highest conglomerate bidder. The few remaining are in areas I would not frequent..."