Outdoor skating gets a little damp
Sad faces as season nears its close
Hate to break this news, but the ice is melting. No more outdoor skating.
Weeks ago, thousands of hockey players felt, if only for a moment, like Gretzky tearing down the wing before dishing a highlightreel pass to Messier. Now, the city’s 59 outdoor rinks are closed for the season. Regina operates rinks at 40 different locations around the city.
For a 13-week season — from the middle of December well into February — city crews do their best to make sure the ice is flooded and cleared. Ready for the Wendel Clarks and Hayley Wickenheisers of the city.
With temperatures warming, the city will no longer be maintaining its rinks.
“We just kind of let weather take its course,” said Ted Schaeffer, co-ordinator of sports facilities and special events for the city. “There’s not a ton involved with actually removing the ice.”
Amanda McConnell, manager of the Ehrlo Outdoor Hockey League, said there were many long faces at the league’s year-end tournament over the weekend.
More than 300 kids played in the league this year at nine of the city’s outdoor facilities.
Sure, some practices had to be rescheduled or cancelled because it was too cold, but that doesn’t stop anyone from registering.
“Hockey started on an outdoor rink. The way hockey was meant to be played, in my opinion,” McConnell said.
There were a few practices when the weather warmed in January that got a little wet.
“We had a little bit of boot hockey,” said McConnell. “The downfall of playing outdoors is you never really know what the weather is going to bring.”
People can still use the outdoor rinks, but don’t expect them to be maintained.
“Because it’s slushy and it’s not very good ice, we just ask people to be really careful out there,” said Schaeffer. “We don’t want anyone to get hurt using an ice surface that’s soft and really kind of not great for use.”
Safety is on the minds of those working in the city’s police and firefighting forces. Both, in a message shared with the Wascana Centre Authority and the city, are warning that conditions around Wascana Lake and Wascana Creek are very dangerous this time of year.
As the ice weakens, it’s important residents make sure their pets are leashed near the water bodies. If your pet does end up venturing onto the ice, it’s best to call for assistance rather than test your luck on the tenuous ice.
If you see anyone in a potentially dangerous situation, it’s asked you call the police.