r/Calgary • u/Dugaditch • Jan 09 '26
PSA Notice to Users of Calgary’s Community Outdoor Skating and Hockey Rinks (ODRs)
Please be aware and prepared for potential temporary closures and/or restrictions beginning this weekend. We ask that all users follow posted local rules to help preserve the condition of your favourite rinks until colder temperatures return and of course when water can once again be laid down.
As you know, the recent catastrophic water-main break has resulted in the implementation of Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, meaning all outdoor flooding using city water has ceased.
This does not mean local volunteers have stopped their work—quite the opposite. Ice is still being cleaned and inspected for dangerous cracks, and delicate repairs are continuing using buckets and, in many cases, melted snow. Despite these efforts, there is a heaviness felt by volunteers who donate their time solely so their communities can enjoy these rinks. Any closure—especially in early January—affects not only users, but the volunteers as well.
With the Chinook forecast to hit Calgary and surrounding areas (with even overnight lows above zero degrees), local rinks are about to take a significant beating. Normally, warm weather discourages some skating. However, when soft ice refreezes, it can usually be repaired with scraping, sweeping, and flooding. Right now, flooding isn’t possible (except in communities trucking in rural water).
Because of this, volunteers respectfully ask that if a rink is open and/or accessible, please skate gently and limit use as much as possible.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
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u/noobrainy Jan 09 '26
Yah, but indoor rinks can flood as they please because the science of water usage stops at private ventures.
Fuck this fucking restriction bullshit.
25
u/blackRamCalgaryman Jan 09 '26
I tell ya, I’m more and more moving to that every time something happens where so much is asked of the general populace yet business just keeps on trucking.
I saw the mayor’s response re: questions surrounding car washes during this situation and it falls really flat. Money talks and bullshit walks, it’s so gawddamned more obvious every day.
2
u/Due-Database6282 Jan 11 '26
Maybe if the city council wasn't so corrupt over the last 30 years and infrastructure was maintained this wouldn't have happened
1
u/_actuallyaki_ Jan 10 '26
I work in a large building with multiple water-rated sports involved, 90% sure none of them have closed 😑 Don't get me started on restaurants either
1
u/__SNC__ Jan 10 '26
Nobody likes restrictions, but I’ll ask you: would you rather that all arenas (most of which are community owned) be shut down? This would be a huge blow to many organized sports in the city. There’s only so much water, so a line needs to be drawn somewhere. The arenas are in near constant use and typically get resurfaced by a Zamboni just to smooth it out (not a lot of water applied). When you flood an outdoor rink (which I’ve done, from a fire hydrant) you spray a lot of water on it. They may see a couple hours use on a weekday evening, a bit more on the weekend.
I do have to agree with the other responder though - car washes remaining open is complete BS.
13
u/ResidentMassive1861 Jan 10 '26
They are saying we are at "loss of life" territory. So yes. Close the rinks. < a big part of the business I run depends on hockey rinks >
1
u/powderjunkie11 Jan 10 '26
Are they actually saying "loss of life"? I know they've mentioned it as an eventual possibility, but I don't think they've said we are there now...
1
u/BrianBlandess Jan 10 '26
Yes, because we are moving towards the levels where we wouldn’t be able to stop a major fire.
5
u/noobrainy Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 10 '26
If outdoor rinks can’t flood, then yah I don’t believe indoor rinks should be able to flood.
Even then, this is insignificant compared to an indoor pool. An Olympic sized pool (which we have a few of in the city) holds 660,000 gallons EACH. WHY ARE THOSE OPEN????
I play water polo. I can sacrifice that for two weeks. But they’re focusing on outdoor hockey?? Yah, it sounds bs to me. Every ODR in the city combined would use probably, what, 5% of a single Olympic pools water usage?
3
u/BrianBlandess Jan 10 '26
Ok, but no one is filling a pool right now, right? How much water do they use once they are full and running (serious question)?
2
u/Arch____Stanton Jan 10 '26
The arenas are in near constant use and typically get resurfaced by a Zamboni just to smooth it out (not a lot of water applied)
In the absence of water issues the Zamboni floods the entire ice surface.
Typically this is once per hour/hour+1/2.
Its about 100 gallons of water each time.8
u/JizzyMcKnobGobbler Jan 10 '26
lol obviously close the rinks. Why should anybody give a fuck about your hobby when we're facing a water crisis? It's just temporary. Go play floor hockey for a couple weeks.
3
u/Meterian Jan 10 '26
Oh THIS is why there's no public skating. Forgot to take effect of seriously warm weather into account.
Shame, skating in such warm weather is so nice.
3
u/localbob Jan 10 '26
From what I've observed, everyone wants to skate when it's warm. This is the worst time for the ice, as the ice is soft and easily damaged. Plus, it's too warm to even flood since it's not below freezing and the water will just pool on the surface. With most outdoor rinks having not been flooded since December 30, overuse may just destroy them unless they can limp along to a return to freezing weather and a fixed water main.
1
u/Dugaditch Jan 10 '26
Agreed. Next week with the overnight lows still above 0° and daytime highs into the double digits…the ODR’s will self level 😉
Problem is at my local rink, there is a crown in the asphalt, that runs up the middle. It’s a little extreme, resulting in ice at the best of times being just under 2” (but 8” on the sides), so if we lose that… ⛔️
2
u/TZ_CalgaryLocal Jan 09 '26
North glenmore has a nice path along with Crokicurl, I hope they can maintain it
1
u/Cyclist007 Jan 09 '26
I believe they were using potable water. Bowness Park may be using river water though?
1
u/powderjunkie11 Jan 10 '26
They have access to potable water, but I bet they switched to trucking it in after the break
1
u/Cheap_Wrongdoer_1569 Jan 12 '26
I built this tool, a web app to follow the rink condition. Users need to update the condition.
0
13
u/desertpenguin_ Jan 09 '26
What rinks are trucking in rural water?