When listing the best-of-both-worlds reasons to love Ann Arbor, at the top of my list is Buhr Park Ice Rink.

Skates sit idle on Sunday with Buhr Park Outdoor Ice Rink closed due to soft ice.

Farnham | Contributor

As avid ice skaters, my family loves the artificial ice surface they maintain combined with the fresh air of the outdoor, covered neighborhood-style rink. It's a throwback to the experiences we had skating as kids - before little things like global warming intervened - but with the modern convenience of a smooth, zamboni-primed surface.

The number one enemy of Buhr's throw-back outdoor rink, however, is gorgeous spring weather with temps the likes of which we are experiencing this week.

My family popped over for a spring skate this past Sunday and found the rink closed due to mushy, slushy ice. The system used to maintain the artificial ice surface had reached its limit. A rink employee explained that they can push it only so far into the 50s, but when the temperatures reach the mid-60s, like they did last week, the system can't take it.

Fortunately, a call put in today to the park office confirmed that they will be open - in spite of the 60-degree days we are enjoying - for community use again as of tonight. Work was being done this afternoon during what would have been their noon to 2 p.m. open skate.

Buhr Park reopened early this year after extensive work was done to the equipment. The facility normally closes mid-March for the season but will remain open until the last day of March this year, making up for the early winter closure.

With the repairs done today, we can be ice skating in T-shirts in South Ann Arbor until March draws to a close. Until cooler weather returns, that is - something rink officials are likely hoping for.

We plan to call ahead before going out to enjoy a sunshiny skate in the next two weeks, just in case.

Ann Farnham is a community volunteer, mother of two ice skaters, and all-round lover of winter sports in spring weather. Follow her at Ann of Ann Arbor.