THUNDER BAY — The city's boarded outdoor skating rinks will officially open for public use today.
A statement from the city said some of the boarded rinks still required flooding and some maintenance prior to the official start date.
Unboarded skating rinks were still being prepared, and the work may be affected by weather conditions.
The city operates and maintains 38 outdoor rinks.
Each location has different days of operation.
Supervised boarded locations will operate from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
The following sites will be open/supervised from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Boxing Day and New Year's Day:
- Carrick Park
- North End Community Centre
- West Thunder Community Centre
- James Street Playfield.
All remaining supervised sites will be closed/unsupervised from Dec. 24 to 26, as well as Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
The city says skating is still permitted when rinks are closed, at the discretion of users.
Covid-19 lockdown changes
In keeping with provincial regulations related to COVID-19, heated change rooms will remain locked and unavailable for changing skates.
Washroom facilities in the change rooms will be accessible when the rink attendant is present in the change room.
Users wishing to use the washroom should knock on the door to gain access.
Skaters using outdoor rinks are required to maintain a separation of at least two metres from other skaters, excluding members of the same household.
Team activities on outdoor rinks, or any activities where people may come within two metres of each other, are prohibited during the lockdown.
