COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (WOWO):  Call it a creative solution for a common winter safety concern.

The Columbia City Parks Department is building a free, temporary, outdoor skating rink. They are finalizing work on the 80-foot by 90-foot rink on the T-Ball diamonds at Morsches Park. 

Using a plastic liner they'll open a nearby water hydrant in the park to flood the surface. The ice will be about three inches thick when complete.

Parks Director Mark Green says its largely experimental and weather dependent. 

“It's going to be very imperfect. We aren't going to have a Zamboni (Machine) to make it nice. If we get snow we'll have to shovel it off.”

The total price of the project is about $1,000. Green hopes it will provide a safe alternative to the uncertain thickness of ponds in Columbia City. 

He says it is only for ice skating, not hockey.