Adopt-a-Rink Program
Contact 311 for additional information.
An Adopt-a-Rink is a great way to have a skating rink in your neighbourhood park by using your own volunteers.
If you are interested in maintaining a rink in a park close to your home, several things are required for you to consider:
- It is the operators' responsibility to obtain sufficient liability insurance.
- Authorization is required from the Parks and Open Space Division before proceeding; authorization will only be granted to insured operators.
- Is the park on level ground?
- Flooding the rink is you or your groups responsibility - is your garden hose long enough?
- Will you have help from your neighbours?
For more information on Adopt-a-Rink please contact 311 to setup an appointment with an area technician.
Rink installation and maintenance procedures
The Parks and Open Space Division is pleased to provide you with steps and tips on how to install and maintain an Adopt-a-Rink on City property. This information has been compiled thanks to the expertise of parks staff that maintain our community pleasure rinks. We hope this step by step approach will assist you in providing hours of outdoor winter fun for you and your family.
- Find a level park area approved by a parks representative to place your rink.
- A hard surface such as asphalt, concrete or gravel base is recommended.
- A grassy area is acceptable. It is important to note though that significant damage will occur to the grass and it will be slower to green up in the spring.
- Banking up snow to form the edge of the rink is recommended.
- The area to be flooded should be carefully scraped down to the ground level and this snow used for banks.
- Lightly freeze in the banks.
- Freeze the bare ground first with a light spray; this seals the ground.
- Your outdoor water service is fine but remember to drain the tap and hose and turn the water off inside, just as you would turn off the service for winter.
- Then apply several light floods allowing time to freeze between each one. Too much water at one time can lead to uneven freezing and air pockets may form.
- Scrape away loose snow or remove bumps before flooding.
- Apply a layer of water to renew the rink.
- Fill cracks and borders with slushy snow. Pack the slush with your foot, let it freeze and flood over top.
- A weekly inspection by both the volunteer group and a city representative will ensure safe ice conditions, any poor conditions will be dealt with as soon as possible.
- Keep off ice after flooding, as it is very slippery when wet.
- Proper footwear (skates or non slip boots) and helmets for skaters are recommended.
- Allow the ice to melt naturally in the spring.
To find out who your area representative (technician) is, please contact 311.