December in Austin is more balmy than blustery, but that hasn't stopped Whole Foods Market Inc. from putting in a rectangular 1,800-square-foot ice skating rink on its second-floor outdoor rooftop plaza downtown.

Starting Friday, with the high temperature expected to be in the low 70s, skaters will be able to practice their figure eights in T-shirts until the rink closes Jan. 1.

Managers hatched the idea for the city's only outdoor ice skating rink in a meeting to brainstorm for the store's holiday plans.

Employees were told to " 'think big; think big,' but then someone said 'ice skating rink' and they said, 'That's too big,' " said Maria Bergh, the store's marketing director.

But after doing some research, store managers found IceRinkEvents.com, a Brenham-based company that is accustomed to creating outdoor skating rinks in challenging environments.

Three years ago, for example, the company installed an outdoor rink in Ocala, Fla. It's also installing one in Monterey, Calif., this year.

The company's system is "a little bit intricate, with the refrigeration and tubing," General Manager Mike Clayton said.

Essentially, a layer of foam insulation is laid over the ground and topped with a maze of tubing, through which a giant chiller pumps super-cold antifreeze. Water is sprayed over the tubing to create a roughly 2-inch layer of ice.

A tent will shield the rink from sunlight, but Bergh said it can stand up to Austin's mild winter weather. The compact size means the rink can handle only about 50 skaters at a time.

The company started work on Monday and expects to finish in time for a Thursday ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Whole Foods does not expect to make money on the rink, which Bergh calls "a very expensive proposition."

She wouldn't give the cost, but Ocala paid $125,000 for its larger rink in 2002.

Prices for a 45-minute session will range from $5 on weekday afternoons to $9.50 for adults in the evening and on weekends, including skate rental. The rink will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Proceeds on Tuesdays will go to the Austin Children's Shelter.

Bergh said the rink will boost the store's profile in Austin and the Whole Foods chain.

"We were used to (other stores) looking to us for what's next," she said. "And this is something spectacular and unique."

rrayasam@statesman.com; 912-2942