The Winter Magic Ice Skating Rink and Toboggan Run will be constructed at the Hamilton Showgrounds, after quick thinking by Southern Grampians Shire councillor Albert Calvano.

Rink owner Lorraine Malone said a Warrnambool site had been the first choice for the company, but the lack of a suitable site led to Hamilton securing the holiday attraction.

“We were looking in Warrnambool but it was really difficult to find a site,” she said.

“If there was a place to put the rink, we would have.”

Cr Calvano was instrumental in getting the rink and toboggan run to Hamilton.

After spotting an article in The Standard calling for a suitable Warrnambool spot, he quickly contacted Ms Malone and his fellow councillors to suggest Hamilton as an alternative site.

“It’s going to be a great asset to the town,” he said.

“I made contact with the ice-skating company and they were very interested. With that conversation, I contacted the other councillors to quickly get on board.”

Cr Calvano said in his email to councillors that if the shire moved quickly, the rink “could benefit and showcase our shire”. 

“We have to beat Warrnambool,” he wrote.

Ms Malone said the company had not ruled out coming to Warrnambool in the future.

“If we could find a suitable site, we would look into coming to town,” she said. 

The rink takes about a week to set up, with thousands of pipes laid underneath the ice.

The pipes connect to a chiller and water is sprayed over the top, which then freezes.

“We keep building up the layers of ice until it is two inches thick,” Ms Malone said.

Sessions will be held daily at 9am, 10.45am, 1pm and 3pm from March 30 until April 12.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, a session will be conducted from 7pm. All sessions run for about 1.5-hours.

Ms Malone advised ice-skaters and tobogganers to bring gloves and to wear bike helmets for extra safety.

Tickets can be brought from wintermagichamilton.com