There may be fewer outdoor rinks to skate on this winter.
Council learned that the biggest challenge facing outdoor rinks is the number of people using them. A report by administration showed that numbers have gone down and because of that recommended council think about closing some of those rinks in order to free up resources to maintain more popular rinks.
The Parks Division current has 78 rink surfaces that are boarded and aren’t boarded at 53 different locations across the city. Administration recommended that 15 of the 26 pond rinks be eliminated for the 2012/2013 because they are under used.
Those rinks include:
• Champlain Parkette
• Dalhousie Parkette
• Fraserdale Parkette
• Holly Park
• Humber Park
• Kingway Lillie Parkette
• Lambton Park
• Parkdale Park
• Riverview Parkette
• Sandpiper Park
• Thornloe Park
• Uniberry Park
• Victoria Parkette
• Gresley Parkette
• Valley Fassina Park
Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm, however, stayed the execution of the rink at Parkdale and asked to keep it open for another year so that they could find out the exact reason for the dwindling attendance.
But not all rinks were as lucky. Administration also recommended eliminating a number of other rinks including one of the two rinks in north McIntyre, and the skating only pond in Stanley Parkette.
City Park’s Manager Paul Fayrick said they didn’t set out to reduce services but look at improving the ice conditions as well as saving the city money.
“We have 15 of 26 sites that have usage rates that are so low that they don’t justify their use,” Fayrick said. “We can see some dollar savings but we didn’t want to make a projection because it depends an awful lot on what kind of winter we have."
Fayrick added that the James Street rink and West Thunder rink would be open on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day on a trial basis.
He said once those rinks are closed they can offer boarded rinks seven days a week and also added that the James Street rink and West Thunder rink would be open on Boxing Day and New Years Day on a trial basis.
At-Large Coun. Aldo Ruberto said he was glad that administration was looking into it.
“It’s tough to keep those services when people aren’t using them,” He said. “I would love to support services but they got to be using them.”
