For Torontonians, this winter has been on the mild side. With temperatures nearing 10 degrees celsius, the city’s outdoor skating rinks are taking a hit.
“This one (Greenwood Rink) has a roof so the sun isn’t hitting it directly,” recreational hockey player Gus Lockett says.
“Some rinks have a roof on it so the ice doesn’t get as soft as those rinks that don’t have roof.”
Due to warmer weather, numerous outdoor rinks have been be closed for days. Not only does the temperatures make the ice softer and harder to skate on, it also makes it harder for the employees to maintain. The rinks at Dieppe Park is one of the many that has taken a hit.
“December had the mild temperatures and the direct sun and even with the refrigeration underneath, it’s still plus eight,” said a city worker at the rink, adding he’s seen people ice skating in T-shirts. “Ideally, anywhere in the minus is fine, even -1 or -2. The colder the better.”
Outdoor Rinks in Toronto