Edmontonians hoping to slide — or leap and twirl — into the holidays on a pair of ice skates have a variety of rinks to choose from, with more expected to open in the coming weeks.
After two winters of being closed for renovations, the city hall ice rink is set to open Monday evening, as long as Mother Nature keeps it cool. Temperatures need to stay below 0 C to maintain the ice, and the forecast is promising.
“They always aim to try to have it open for the holiday season, and so we are very lucky…that they are meeting that target this year,” said Shannon den Besten, supervisor of the civic precinct.
“It’s very picturesque and they’ve wrapped the trees that are alongside the rink with some lights. It’ll be quite a magical experience for anybody who can come and enjoy over the break.”
The rink is surrounded by skate mats and benches, and is more accessible than it has been in previous years, den Besten said. The floor surrounding the rink is sloped downward, so people don’t need to go down any steps to get on the ice. As a result, the rink, which is a fountain in the summer, is slightly smaller than in previous years.
Those looking for a bigger rink to show off some dangles in a game of shinny are in luck.
Bryan Turner, team lead for River Valley Parks, said crews have been hard at work preparing rinks in city parks.
The rink built on the ground at William Hawrelak Park has been open since the start of the month, but the lake rink likely won’t be ready until the end of the year, he said.
The ice, which is currently 26 centimetres thick, needs to be 43 centimetres thick before people can skate on it. Crews have to remove snow from the lake, then use water trucks to spray the surface, Turner said.
Ideal ice-making conditions see temperatures consistently under -10 C. Turner said this winter has been relatively warm, but conditions are better than last year.
“We actually had our latest [rink] opening…that we’ve recorded,” he said. “We didn’t get on there until well into the new year.”
Turner’s personal favourite rink is the two-kilometre Rundle Park iceway. He said it isn’t nearly as busy as the facilities in Hawrelak and Victoria parks.
“It is a very extensive ice trail that we put a lot of effort into. And it’s quite impressive and unique. I don’t think there’s really anything else like it. It does weave through trees and…it touches on a bunch of the picnic sites.”
Late-night skaters can enjoy the Rundle Park ice trail for the first time this year, as a section of it will be lit after dark. After a year hiatus for repairs, he said the Victoria Park iceway is decked out with holiday lights.
A full list of facilities is available on the city’s website:
- City hall rink – Expected to open Monday evening
- Hawrelak Park turf rink – Open
- Hawrelak pond rink – Closed
- Jackie Parker rink – Open
- Rundle Park iceway and rinks – Open
- The Meadows Outdoor rink – Open
- Victoria Park iceway and oval – Open