Let the kids skate

With many of Toronto’s outdoor ice rinks set to close in the middle of a cold spell — for the second consecutive winter — it’s time for some backward skating on policy choices.

Thirty-five rinks were scheduled to shut on Sunday, and stay closed until next winter, because sufficient funds hadn’t been allocated to keeping them open. It’s absurd to find that, yet again, enough money hadn’t been set aside in Toronto’s $11.5-billion operating budget to let kids (and everyone else) keep skating.

Plans called for the city to keep17 outdoor rinks openuntil the end of March break, coming on the 22nd of next month. But misplaced budget priorities still left a great many youngsters at risk of reduced access to one of Canada’s great national winter pastimes. That’s a shame. Mayor John Tory announced on Friday that corporate donors had agreed to supply a total of $200,000 to keep 12 additional rinks open. It’s a welcome contribution and local residents should be grateful.

But the city shouldn’t have to depend on the generosity of privatesector white knights. At a time of growing concern about childhood obesity, and knowing the importance of regular exercise in maintaining long-term health, it’s important that Toronto do more to encourage skating. And that includes providing for expanded use of the city’s outdoor rinks.

There’s some cost involved because the 52 rinks under discussion require considerable work on the part of city parks staff. Belowsurface refrigeration systems must be maintained; ice must be kept clean of snow, and Zambonis are needed to provide a smooth, safe skating surface.

That said, keeping more rinks open remains fundamentally a matter of money, not some difficult-to-overcome technical challenge. After all, if 29 outdoor rinks will now be kept functioning well after Feb. 22 (absent an unexpected warm spell) there should be a ready way of making even more sites available to the public.

It’s a matter of priorities. Ultimately, it’s about putting kids first.

Toronto must find the money to keep its outdoor ice rinks open