Skaters taking part in the figure skating drop-in programs at the Iceland Arena in Mississauga, Ont., on Oct. 29, 2020.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Celia Li often stays up late to book coveted spots at public skating for her kids. She is ready to log into the website the minute registration opens at midnight, seven days in advance of each outing.
She secured a spot for her eight-year-old daughter for a recent Thursday after-school fun skate at Mississauga’s Iceland Arena. She had to act fast with just 10 skaters permitted at each public skate – a new rule for the popular suburban rink during the pandemic. She missed out on a spot for her five-year-old son.
If the local rink in many Canadian communities has any public skating events during the pandemic, they will look much different. The ice won’t be crowded. The concession stands, lobbies and dressing rooms won’t be bustling. This popular, low-cost drop-in activity has limited capacity, requires preregistration and has new rules aimed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Li’s daughter, Tiffany, was the first to take the ice that day, in white figure skates and a pink coat, confidently speeding through her laps with the ice to herself as mom and little brother watched from the lobby. Other registrants filtered out minutes later, after lacing up on perimeter benches marked with large X’s to keep them two metres apart. On the ice, each skater was surrounded by lots of open space.
Iceland Arena is one of just two rinks in Mississauga, west of Toronto, that has public skating right now. It’s a four-pad arena that buzzes with activity in a typical year, with its most popular Friday night fun skates routinely drawing 150 participants. As with many cities, Mississauga hopes also to have outdoor rinks operating once weather allows for it.
Many rinks across Canada are closed and all activities suspended as communities battle rising cases of COVID-19. Where arenas are open, many are limiting the number of ice pads. Communities and associations have adapted, postponed or scaled back the number of ice sessions for registered activities such as figure skating, ringette, hockey and learn-to-skate. For some, public skating events are the only chance to get on the ice.
“Everyone that comes into the rink is so polite and respectful, and they’re so grateful for the ice,” said Nicole Perkovich, the supervisor of city-wide programs for Mississauga. “I’m fielding so many calls from people these days, saying ‘I love it, please just don’t close the rink.’”
Earlier in the day, Iceland held other themed public skate sessions: one for seniors, a cardio skate and another for figure skaters – each maxed at 10 participants.
Josi Pretto Simmons, a 17-year-old competitive figure skater who lives in Mississauga, appreciates that extra ice time to train. She regularly attends the figure skating open skate with her mother after they’re done studying and working from home for the day.
“It seems a lot safer out here skating on this big ice with a few other skaters than it does even going to a Walmart,” her mom, Nance Pretto, said. “It’s our bonding time together. She can train and I can skate around and get some exercise. It’s one of the few activities we can go out and do right now.”
Skaters arrived dressed for the ice, because the dressing rooms remain closed. They entered the arena through one set of doors, stopped at a sanitizing and check-in point and followed arrows on the floor, wearing masks everywhere but on the ice. They tried to maintain physical distancing, while still often striding alongside one another or offering each other tips. One skate patroller watched from rink side. Afterward, skaters exited out a different set of doors.
“Some of us are seniors and single and this is a socialization part of our week,” said Don Skorez, a retiree just shy of his 65th birthday who was also among the day’s public figure skating participants. “Exercise is important for your physical health and your mental health – I believe that. Everyone feels better after some movement and exercise.”
The situation is different in every community and is very fluid, so calling ahead or visiting the arena’s website has become essential before dropping in for a public skate. Staying on top of the latest info about local ice times, capacities and what to expect can take some serious diligence.
The City of Toronto says leisure skate is operating with reduced capacity. Only select city-owned rinks list ice times right now, with more beginning later this month, including outdoor rinks such as Nathan Phillips Square.
In London, Ont., public skating is set to begin at eight of the city’s 11 arenas on Nov. 9 with a limit of 12 preregistered skaters for each session.
In Pelham, Ont., the local government permits up to 50 at weekend skates and 25 during the week for open skates.
In Montreal, since the resumption of activities at the end of the summer, free skating has been maintained in the majority of indoor arenas by limiting the number of skaters, preregistering them and maintaining physical distancing and sanitation protocols.
“By adapting to provide access to its arenas and outdoor skating rinks despite the pandemic, Montreal aims to encourage sports and an active lifestyle, with the safety of its population in mind,” Mélanie Gagné, a spokesperson for the city, said in an e-mail.
In Vancouver, the Board of Parks and Recreation reopened its rinks in September for permit holders such as hockey leagues and figure-skating clubs. Its rinks are now open to the public for drop-in programs and small-group skating lessons, with no spectators or locker-room access. Preregistration opens three days in advance, and capacities are limited.
The City of Calgary is following Alberta provincial guidance regarding indoor arenas that states “ice use should be limited to organized activities (e.g. figure skating, hockey, ringette)”. Provincial guidance does not limit the use of outdoor rinks for public skating, so Calgary Parks is working to open its refrigerated Olympic Park outdoor ice surface this month, followed by other natural ice surfaces in city parks in December, weather depending.
The City of Edmonton is not offering any indoor public skating or shinny right now, either.
In Winnipeg as of Nov. 2, all recreation and leisure programs were cancelled and all city-owned and operated recreation facilities, gyms, indoor pools, arenas and libraries are closed until further notice. Many community-run rinks have followed suit, such as Transcona East End Community Centre.
“In a regular year, the arena is nuts on a weekend, 150 people at a weekend public skate with the kids lining up at the canteen to buy popcorn, slushies and dollar candy bags,” said Tom Nesby, the vice-president of administration for the East End Community Club. “Kids really need structure right now. I wonder what we’re going to do to keep them active.”