Outdoor hockey rinks; is there ice yet?

[TangerZ]

Just making the annual, "which rinks are iced already" thread. I drove by Westgate today and the lights were off, so I'm assuming they don't have their rink flooded yet. Hopefully Signal Hill has their rink ready...I'm gonna head to the Olympic Plaza downtown at night to play hockey sometime this week, but I have to head down at 11:00-11:30 when all the regular skaters have left haha.

Anyways, post the conditions at your local rink, cheers!

[flip]

Here in Tuscany the rink requires about 4 or 5 days of below freezing weather before they can keep ice going. It seems pretty nice out recently so I'd say it'll be at least another week.

[ricoFlame]

next couple days supposed to be pretty warm, so SOL for a little longer, then it gets COLD this weekend.

[pope04]

Elbow Park's been flooded, Stanley Park's been flooded, but I'm not sure if there's viable ice in yet.

[FireFly]

AFAIK, Olympic Plaza has ice.... not really a rink though if you're looking to play hockey.

[TangerZ]

Originally Posted by FireFly

AFAIK, Olympic Plaza has ice.... not really a rink though if you're looking to play hockey.

Yea Firefly your right on both accounts. The Plaza always has their ice made really early compared to the other rinks. It's usually already made in November or very very early December). There's no sticks or pucks allowed on the Plaza ice as well, but when the casual skaters leave the premises around 11:00, I've played hockey there before. The ice is by far the best outdoor ice in Calgary, tho' again it's not for hockey so who would know. Since there's no boards, it's mostly just keep away with buddies, or we bring down the benches and use them as nets (we don't damage anything around, it's pretty tame, mostly just dangling). Although a year or so ago, a bunch of Asian guys with goalie gear and street hockey nets would come around 11:30 and play pickup hockey, it was pretty fun with around 10 guys. Anyhow, this shouldn't be something I'm promoting lol

[worth]

So I can go skate on the Ice at Olympic Plaza right now?

Interesting, I thought it would be in there closer to Christmas. They might have a tough time since it's supposed to be 6 degrees today or something like that.

[pope04]

I think Olympic Plaza uses an underground chiller - like indoor ice - and it's my understanding that it's kept up until mid March or so. Worth, I haven't dropped by, but I'm pretty sure you can go for a skate there now.

I took in my recycling to South Calgary, and they haven't started on the ice there. Anyone been to Haysboro?

[TangerZ]

Yea, that's right, you can go skate at the Plaza today if you want. I have also heard that they use an underground cooling system. The ice was made in the last couple weeks of November this year.

[ComixZone]

Rosemont's outdoor rink is up and runnin'