Refrigerated Outdoor skating rink in Courtice – first of three in Clarington – ready for construction

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Published April 3, 2024 at 4:49 pm

Courtice Outdoor Skating Rink

Plans for Clarington’s first refrigerated outdoor skating rink were unveiled Tuesday, with the rink at the Courtice Community Centre set to open in time for the 2024-25 winter season.

The facility will feature a refrigerated ice surface bordered by a rubber skate mat, plenty of lighting for evening use, covered and uncovered chairs and benches, two gas fire pits and a warming room.

The rink, the first of three outdoor rinks planned for Clarington over the next two years, will provide residents of all ages with an opportunity to enjoy leisure skating on a surface that stays consistently frozen despite fluctuations in the weather and for longer periods during the winter months.

At other times of the year the facility will be used for a variety of activities such as outdoor markets, community events, recreational sports and other programming.

“This is an exciting day,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster. “I am thrilled by the plans for a new refrigerated outdoor skating rink where our residents will enjoy skating in winter and community events year-round. Clarington’s first refrigerated outdoor skating rink will create a common space for residents to stay active, have fun, and connect with friends and family. This new space will be a great addition to our community and will further enhance the quality of life here.”

A second refrigerated outdoor rink open in November 2025 at the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex in Newcastle with the third in the municipality – at the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre – beginning construction this year and opening its doors in 2026 to help meet rising community demand for recreational space.

As Clarington grows, recreational needs are changing and diversifying and the three facilities will help people connect to their community and take part in healthy, active living, noted Foster. It will also support the goals of Clarington’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan to plan for services and facilities to meet the community’s needs now and in the future, he added.

Learn more about the plan at www.clarington.net/PRCMP.

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