BEIJING — Beijing's largest natural ice rink, located in the Summer Palace, opened on Jan 10 ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

The ice rink can accommodate 4,000 people and has a total area of 300,000 square meters divided into two areas. One is for single carts, double carts, ice bicycles and speed skating, with the other for electric carts, electric ice bumper cars, and electric dragon boats.

An ice safety officer inspects the ice thickness at six measuring points before the opening of the ice rink at 8 am and again at 2 pm when the temperature is at its highest. When the ice rink is closed at night, it will be cleaned and maintained.

Zhang Yahong, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, said that municipal parks including the Summer Palace have set up three types of activities: ice sports, snow sports and a Winter Olympic-themed exhibition.

Seven municipal ice rinks and four snow resorts are now open to public until Feb 4, with a total area of 600,000 square meters hosting more than 40 kinds of ice and snow activities.

Since 2014, ice and snow activities staged at Beijing municipal parks have drawn in nearly 2 million people.