The city says its newest outdoor rink has been a hit so far.
Acting waterfront project manager Paul Pepe said since Prince Arthur’s Landing had its grand opening Dec. 16, at least 100 people have been skating everyday. Boxing Day saw more than 220 people skating with another 200 exploring the new park Pepe said.
“It’s good to see people using Prince Arthur’s Landing and enjoying the park in the winter which hasn’t always been the case here,” he said.
Although it is an outdoor rink, the city has an ice re-surfacer just like indoor rinks. It also has an ice plant in the Watergarden Pavilion. That means the rink can open earlier in the season and stay open in warmer weather. Glycol is pumped through lines underneath the rink to keep it cold and keep the surface more consistent than other outdoor rinks in the city. City parks manager Paul Fayrick said they wanted a higher quality outdoor rink because of its location.
“The ice freezes from down below instead of up above which is the norm in an outdoor surface,” he said.
Because of the chiller system, the rink will be open seven days a week from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. until at least mid March.
As for the rest of the park, Pepe said he’s been hearing nothing but positive feedback from people so far.
“One of the comments I’ve heard over and over again is that it’s very un-Thunder Bay,” Pepe said.
