What makes the holiday season come alive more than the opportunity to ice-skate during the Christmas season? On Dec. 9 ? Jan. 20 this experience will be offered to all those who wish to participate in a little piece of Fresno?s version of Central Park.

Located at 4000 Cedar Avenue between Ashlan and Dakota, one mile south of Fresno State, Granite Park brings a new aspect to Christmas that Fresno has never offered, an open-air ice-skating rink.

Senior Tara Albrechtson plans on going to the new skating rink during their first weekend open.

?I?m really excited to go ice skating with my friends,? Albrechtson said. ?I?ve never heard of it before and the experience should be fun.?

For those not interested in ice-skating, Woodward Park?s Festival of Lights will depict Christmas decorations from the past. Santa will be available for photographs. Christmas carolers and a merry-go-round for children also will make the scene merry.

Community Christmas tree decorating can be seen throughout Granite Park as local schools and churches decorate over 100 Christmas trees. Carolers can be heard every hour while Christmas characters roam the premises.

Granite Park is open form 12 noon-midnight seven days a week. The cost can be free if you attend between the hours of 12 to 3:30 P.M. For those who arrive later, the entrance fee is $3. The cost of skating is $9, which includes skate rentals.

All funds received go to benefit the Granite Park Kids Foundation.

For more information go to www.granitepark.com or call 222-PLAY.