Lloydminster residents looking to hit the ice this weekend are in luck as all the outdoor rinks are now open.
“We’ve been able to get our city teams out preparing the winter skating surfaces. They’re ready to go and we’re excited to announce they are ready to be used,” says Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
The nine surfaces are free to use starting December 13 and are located at:
- Queen Elizabeth School, 5512 51 Avenue
- Kin-Kinette Park, 4713 57 Avenue
- Servus Sports Centre Outdoor Oval, 5202 12 Street
- Bishop Lloyd Middle School, 5524 31 Street
- Winston Churchill Elementary School, 4402 27 Street
- Jack Kemp Community School, 3701 47 Avenue
- E.S. Laird Middle School, 4808 45 Avenue
- Robertson Park, 5105 34 Street
- Bud Millar All Season Park, 2902 59 Avenue
The city highly recommends skaters of all ages to wear a helmet before going on the ice.
Lights at the Husky Oval will be on until 9 p.m. each night while lights at the Kin Kinette Park, Jack Kemp Community School, Robertson Park and E.S. Laird Middle School will stay on until 10 p.m. every night.
The city will be clearing snow from the ice regularly and check to maintain the quality of the surfaces.Â
The Den, Outdoor Arena and Husky Oval will be closed weekly to the public during Border Blades Speed Skating bookings which are Mondays from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m.
The city is warning residents to stay away from retention lakes and ponds during the winter as temperatures fluctuate, the ice covering them could change.
“They are not maintained by the city and are marked that they are unsafe. We do not encourage people to take any kind of motorized equipment on those retention ponds because the weather can change very quickly. If people are setting up a hockey net, we remind them to check the weather because a quick melt can bring water on underneath or on top and will cause problems quickly.”
They ask residents to take precautions and keep children and pets a safe distance from the retention lakes and ponds.