It’s finally feeling like winter. The Forest City is excited to open up the free skate at Victoria Park once again.
The rink is open 10:00am to 10:00pm, seven days a week and welcomes the public.
Maintaining the rink is a heavy task, Scott Preece, Supervisor for Parks and Recreation London says he really has to take care of the ice.
“We flood the ice four times a day, once in the morning, two during the day and once at night when we close” says Preece.
The vehicle used to flood the ice may surprise you. Rather than a zamboni they use a multi purpose vehicle. It can flood the ice and clear off snow.
Safety is a big concern for the rink. Children under the age of 5 are required to wear helmets and Preece strongly recommends that everyone else wears them as well.
The rink has staff working at all times they are open to supervise over skaters. They double up on staff during the weekend when they’re busier.
Free Skate is also gearing up to host a new years eve where party goers will skate on the rink.
In case the weather goes above 0, the rink can continue to operate. They have a refrigeration system that keeps the ice frozen.
