Centre Wellington outdoor ice rinks up and running soon

CENTRE WELLINGTON – While there is no firm timeline yet, local outdoor ice rinks are coming soon as the township waits for more snow and cold weather. 

Matt Tucker, Centre Wellington’s manager of parks and facilities, said township staff along with volunteers are working on about nine outdoor rinks for the public to use. 

“Our biggest problem is we’re waiting on snow,” Tucker said. He explained building these rinks requires a hard base of packed snow, otherwise it just melts when water is applied. 

But work has started on a few rinks in Elora, Fergus and Belwood and Tucker said he expects an opening day to be clearer later on in the week. 

Meanwhile, Guelph/Eramosa has two outdoor rinks in Rockwood parks up and running with four more expected shortly said Kristen Chiasson, parks and recreation administrative assistant. 

Two of their rinks will not be operating at all this year, one in Marden Park and one in David Masson Park, due to a lack of volunteers. 

Chiasson said public health guidance on pandemic rules is not as clear this winter as it was under the previous winter when under the colour-coded system. 

Public health officials have told GuelphToday there is no plan to give guidance on outdoor recreation at this time and it is up to municipalities. 

Both Chiasson and Tucker said most important is having appropriate signage asking users to maintain physical distance and to use their best judgment. 

For example, Chiasson said if rinks are busy people should come back at another time.

Tucker said the ice rinks were very popular last year and suggested people use the rinks for an appropriate amount of time to allow others in the community a chance to use them. 

He said hockey and shinny is not allowed per provincial protocols but Chiasson said some of their rinks do have areas specifically for this purpose or times when the community generally knows hockey takes place. 

Tucker said people have followed the rules in the past very well and he thinks people are just happy to be able to get active as fitness and recreation facilities are closed right now. 

“There’s lots of different opportunities for different activities to do on the ice and I think it’s great that people get out and get some physical activity instead of being stuck inside,” Tucker said.

More information on Centre Wellington's ice rinks can be found here.