Opening date for outdoor skating rink announced

With December just around the corner, the ice rink in Kelowna’s Stuart Park is almost ready to welcome skaters again.

The city says free skating at the outdoor ice rink begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, weather permitting. The rink will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. until late February.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the community to enjoy outdoor skating at the Stuart Park rink this season,” said Steve Fagan, Supervisor for Arenas and Stadiums. “Skating at Stuart Park is one of the highlights of winter in Kelowna and we’re excited to return to a casual-use, drop-in model, but do encourage all attendees to be safe and considerate of others.”

A still-image live cam is set up at the rink so residents can check ice and crowd conditions or see if the rink is closed for weather-related maintenance before they head down to the rink. The live cam feed is updated every few minutes and is already live so residents can view the evening ice making process ahead of opening day.

Skates will be available to rent on-site daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the skating season, except for December 25, when the rental shop will be closed for the day. All attendees are asked to abide by the rink regulations as posted on surrounding signs and are encouraged to wear helmets.

“We encourage anyone coming down to the rink to check the live cam in advance to help avoid crowding.” adds Fagan. “It’s important that the community works together and is considerate of one another as crowding can lead to further restrictions or closures in a pandemic environment.”

Skaters are also reminded that if it’s too busy to enjoy their skate at Stuart Park, there are also indoor public skating times available at Capital News Centre, Memorial Arena and Rutland Arena.