There’s something magical about lacing up your skates and hitting the ice outdoors in the winter, cold air in your face as you glide across the ice. Outdoor rinks are also great for local youth, who gather to play hockey after school and on weekends.
This year, however, the fate of our outdoor rinks is looking uncertain.
While some rinks, like those at King George, Menard, and Grant parks have had ice this season, the majority have not been able to open due to less than ideal weather conditions.
“Last year was great for cross country skiing and outdoor rinks, this year is not,” Lorne Taillon, Supervisor of Recreation and Programming for the City of Cornwall told Seaway News.
Eight or nine rinks have boards up and volunteers at the ready, but the warmer weather and snow dumps we’ve been getting make it difficult to flood the rinks. A few consistently cold, dry nights in a row are what is needed to get the rinks up and running – fingers crossed Mother Nature cooperates soon!
