Schainker Plaza Opening June 15

Published on June 10, 2026

AMES, Iowa – Most of Schainker Plaza, located directly east of City Hall at 515 Clark Ave., will open Monday, June 15, including the restrooms, splash pad, benches, and landscaped areas. The ice ribbon will remain fenced off in order to be removed and replaced after Sept. 1. The ice ribbon is expected to be completed by Nov. 15, in time for skating this year.

“The new plaza will provide a much-needed place for people to gather and for children to play throughout the year,” said Parks and Recreation Director Keith Abraham. “While the project delays have been disappointing, we are excited to see a portion of the plaza opening soon.”

Once opened, the plaza hours are from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily. The splash pad is operational from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Visitors can turn on the water using the motion-activated sensors at the top of the white bollards.

In 2022, the City of Ames engaged Henkel Construction to build the $4.6 million Schainker Plaza. The project was designed to convert an underused parking lot into a public gathering space with a spray pad, ice ribbon, restrooms, skate rentals, seating, a small stage, green space, and food truck parking. It was originally expected to open in 2023.

At the end of 2023, concrete poured for the ice ribbon was identified as defective and did not meet contract specifications. The City and Henkel Construction negotiated for many months to work out a suitable solution. Eventually, Henkel agreed to remove and replace the defective work.

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