While many eagerly await the opening of outdoor skating rinks, when exactly they will be open is up to Mother Nature.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) operates four outdoor rinks, including one near Golden and three in the Shuswap: Farrrell’s Field (5051 Meadow Creek Road, Celista), Sorrento- Blind Bay Community Park (2670 Davidson Rd, Sorrento) and Silver Creek Community Park (1577 Salmon River Road). Currently, all four rinks are closed.
After the early snow and cold blast of winter weather the areas received, residents were hopeful conditions were right for the rinks to reopen.
However, the weather forecast is predicting temperatures of above freezing with rain and wet conditions for the next week, which the CSRD says does not allow for making the ice needed to form the rinks. Ice-making temperatures need to be at -7 C or lower for at least 10 days to build and maintain safe skating rink-quality ice.
CSRD park contractors are preparing the rinks as much as possible beforehand and will be ready to get them open safely as soon as the weather allows.
As conditions vary widely across the region, the CSRD recommends checking its website’s Outdoor Ice Rinks page, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to confirm which rinks are open.
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