Rockefeller Center isn't the only place to go ice skating this winter. News 12 visited the Lefrak Center at Lakeside Brooklyn to get skating lessons from two Olympians.
When the weather gets colder, New Yorkers break out their ice skates. Many head to Rockefeller Center or Bryant Park, but tucked away in Prospect Park in Brooklyn is a 26-acre winter wonderland run by two pro-ice skaters. The center is run by Denis Petukhov and Melisa Gregory, former Olympic ice skaters and four-time U.S. national silver medalists.
"Anybody that would want to do any kind of winter recreation, this is the place to come," says Gregory.
With two rinks, the center at Lakeside offers ice skating and a hockey league. The space also offers boating, lessons and more. Unlike other rinks in the city, it's not just a holiday treat, but year-round with roller skating in the warmer months.
"Lots of children that start from very basic and advance quite quickly through programming. We have kids that never put on skates and seeing them doing jumps and spins and playing hockey. It's rewarding for sure," says Petukhov.
They say it's rewarding to pass on their love of winter sports to the community.
Whether you're taking a lesson or just trying something new, the center is open seven days a week and tickets can be bought
online.