Edmonton's community skating rinks navigate unseasonable start to the season

With mild temperatures and an absence of snow, community skating rinks aren't seeing much too much action this season – if any at all.

While a few skaters could be heard gliding across the ice at the Victoria Park Oval Saturday, at other rinks it was much quieter.

In LaPerle, both the community rinks have remained grass-covered ground.

"We have a few challenges, not to mention the weather," said Bill Bowers, president of the LaPerle Community League.

Bowers said there hasn't been enough community interest or volunteers to get the rinks into skating shape this year.

"We haven't had a lot of questions on our social media asking, 'Oh, when's the rink gonna be open?'

"Because most people understand that it's difficult to make ice when the weather is plus six, plus seven daily and then you barely go below freezing overnight."

Interest will likely pick up when the temperature drops, but Bowers said at least one of the rinks will remain out of commission until the league can find enough money and volunteers to repair it.

"There's quite a few rotten boards, we need a new puck board, we'd like to put up better chain link fencing so the pucks don't hit our beautiful building, and make sure people are enjoying themselves and they're safe with no nails out there," he said.

"The other rink is a lot less work needed, and I think we could probably get that going if we had interest," he added.

Bowers said the rinks mean a lot to the community, and he is hopeful to restore the spaces next year.

"I think it builds that spirit and it helps people to feel supported in their community," he added. "Now that I'm here and I haven't been out here for a while, I'm feeling how important it is."

Hay bales are being used in place of snowbacks at the new Oliver community skating rink in Kitchener Park. (Jessica Robb/CTV News Edmonton) The warm weather has also made things interesting for the brand new Oliver Community League rink in Kitchener Park.

While snow banks were supposed to outline the rink, hay bales will do for now.

"Not the greatest first year to do it with the lack of snow and all the warm weather we've been getting," said Morgan Bosgoed, from the Oliver Community League.

Bosgeod said the rink will hopefully bring the community together and help people enjoy the outdoors.

"We live in an area where we don't have yards or we all live in small apartments," he added. "So it's great to come out, meet your neighbors, get some physical activity in when it's cold out, and it's been great."

For more information on outdoor skating rinks in Edmonton, click here.  

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb