The police were called in to close Calgary’s Bowness Park on Wednesday Dec, 30, 2020 as too many people wanted to skate on the pond and the new 1.6 km ice trail next to the Bow River. (COVID-19 restrictions limited the number of people to 600).

While some were criticizing the City for not providing more outdoor recreational opportunities, others were commending them for the addition of the ice trail and ice bikes this year. Fortunately the police have not had to restrict skating since.

Christmas Day at Bowness Park. We arrived at 11 am and it was getting busy. We left after 90 minutes so others could enjoy the rink and fire pit. In these times of trouble, we have to learn to share our public spaces.

Outdoor Skating In Canada

However, Calgary is not alone, as all across Canada the demand for outdoor skating has increased significantly due to COVID restrictions. Calgarians are fortunate to have 100+ free outdoor public skating rinks of all shapes and sizes scattered around the city.

Is there a real need for more outdoor rinks - or is the increased demand just a one-year phenomenon? And, will the demand be there when we can use the indoor recreation facilities again and are able to pursue our other activities and interests?

Ottawa and Winnipeg are arguably Canada’s best outdoor skating cities, with Ottawa’s Rideau Canal Skateway (7.8 km) and Winnipeg’s Red River Trail (up to 10 km long depending on river conditions) being the two longest skating trails in the world. However, this year the Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club in B.C.’s Columbia Valley created a 31-kilometer skating trail on Lake Windermere to become the world’s longest skating rink.

This year the Rideau Canal wasn’t open over the holidays due to COVID and The Forks reduced its skating to the Arctic Glacier Winter Park that includes a 1-km groomed trail with lit paths linking it with the CN Stage rink. This has resulted in Winnipeggers creating their own outdoor rinks like the 1.5 km trail on the Assiniboine River, complete with Christmas tree shelters, benches and stumps placed far enough apart to accommodate social distancing.

In London, Ontario, Storybook Gardens provides a short (250 metre) magical skating trail, however due to COVID skating is limited to 25 skaters at a time, and there is a long list of rules you must follow. There is also a $3/person fee and you must register in advance for a specific 75-minute time slot.

Cities and towns near lakes have the advantage using the shoreline to create great outdoor skating rinks and trails. In Hamilton there are popular skating rinks at Cootes Paradise, Waterfront Park, Princess Point, a secret rink at Lake Jojo and two skating loops – one at Valen’s Conservation Area and another at Waterdown Rotary Memorial Park.

Link: Top 11 Outdoor Skating Rinks In Canada

Skating on Ottawa’s Rideau Canal has been a tradition for decades.

Outdoor Skating In Alberta

In Edmonton, the Victoria Trail Iceway with its canopy of trees and multicolour lighting is a magical place to skate.

In addition, Rundle Park Iceway, along the summer pathway in Jackie Parker Park and Hawrelak Park pond skating have been very popular this winter. Edmonton was making a concerted effort to be recognized as a leader when it comes to embracing winter even before COVID.

The City of Red Deer creates a unique 400-metre outdoor speed skating oval at Setters Place in Great Chief Park. Nearby, in Sylvan Lake, there are two huge skating rinks on the lake for locals and visitors to enjoy, as well as a 5-km skating track.

In Lac La Biche, Alberta, the city has created a 1.5-km skating trail along the shoreline of the lake, as well as the Alexander Hamilton Trout Pond rink, which includes sledding hills, picnic tables and huge fire pit.

Albertans living in the Calgary-Banff corridor are fortunate to have access to some of the best wild ice in the world. Wild Ice refers to frozen lakes and ponds that freeze naturally to smooth ice surfaces that you can skate on without any human intervention. They are best early in the season when little or no snow has fallen leaving them as huge sheets of bare ice.

In December 2020, several wild ice rinks became so popular they caused traffic jams along the highway.

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Calgary’s Plethora Of Outdoor Rinks

City of Calgary maintains seven outdoor rinks this year:
Big Marlborough Park (Large rink by the dry pond) – 6033 Madigan Dr. NE
Prairie Winds Park (two rinks) – 223 Castleridge Blvd. N.E (North rink, pleasure skating only
South rink (in tennis court), shinny hockey and pleasure skating)
Thomson Family Park – 1236 16 Ave. S.W.
Carburn Park (pond rink) – 67 Riverview Dr. SE – music, a fire pit and lighting
Bowness Park (Lagoon + 1.6 km river trail) – 8900 48 Ave. N.W.
North Glenmore Park Ice Trail - 7305 Crowchild Trail SW
Olympic Plaza -228 8 Ave SE lighting allows for evening use

FYI: the Prince’s Island Park’s lagoon rink is closed due to bridge construction.

In addition, hundreds of neighbourhood outdoor rinks of all different shapes and sizes, often located next to a Community Association building, dotted throughout the city. Note: Not all Community Association rinks are open to the public, some of the new communities and lake communities rinks are part of the Home Owners’ Association and therefore private. There is a great list of 100+ outdoor community rinks at Link: Calgary: Where you can take the kids?

Calgary has some lovely park-like community skating rinks like the Shaganappi Community Skating trail, the Stanley Park rink and the Rosemont Rinks in Confederation Park. The Ramsay Community Association Rink is unique with its roof and lighting, while the Winston Heights-Mountainview Community Rink has a rectangular rink for shinny players surrounded by an oval trail on the outside for pleasure skaters. FYI: Playing shinny hockey is not permitted during current COVID social distancing regulations.

In addition, those Calgarians who live in the city’s lake communities have access to their own outdoor rink that they can invite family and friends to enjoy too.

West Hillhurst Outdoor Rink Mecca

In Calgary’s West Hillhurst community, parents have taken it upon themselves to build more rinks than ever before. This year there are outdoor rinks at: Grand Trunk Park (new), Helicopter Park (new), Secret Park, Westmount Park, West Hillhurst Community Centre Park (new) and the 2nd Ave & 22nd Street Playground. In addition, on the edge of the community are rinks at St. Andrew’s Heights Community Centre, the old CBC playground and Briar Hill Park. And not far away in Parkdale, Alberta’s first fully accessible outdoor skating rink is currently being completed next to their Community Association Building.

As a resident of West Hillhurst, I am fortunate to have eight outdoor rinks within a kilometer of my house. Indeed, Calgarians have a plethora of outdoor skating opportunities.

Last Word

Perhaps the most famous urban outdoor skating rink in the world is New York City’s Rockefeller Centre rink which opened in 1936. However, at least three Canadian rinks offer a similar “skating with skyscrapers” experience - Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square rink, Edmonton’s City Hall Rink and Calgary’s Olympic Plaza rink – and they are free, unlike Rockefeller Centre.

Time will tell if the increased popularity of outdoor skating exists post COVID. My hunch is that most of us are creatures of comfort and convenience and once indoor rinks are open and organized hockey, figure skating and curling are “on,” and we can go to the gym, most will revert back to our indoor ways.