An ice rink for everyone to enjoy

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/03/2023 (1005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winter may be cold here in Winnipeg, but that doesn’t stop Louis Riel School Division students from enjoying the outdoors. Two schools in Ward 2 – École Marie-Anne-Gaboury and Hastings School – share a playground, and this year they’re sharing an ice rink. It’s actually two rinks combined as one. The unique design has a hockey rink on one side, complete with blue and goal lines and a curling rink on the other, complete with painted rings. It even features an oval skating track around the two rinks for speed skating.

Before building it, school leaders talked to kids in both schools, and it quickly became clear that they didn’t want just a plain, ordinary rink. They wanted something that allowed different ice sports. Student and school leaders, Phys. Ed. teachers and custodial staff all put their heads together to formulate a plan for the ultimate outdoor ice rink.

The rink is a joint effort between LRSD and the city, with a grant from the city courtesy of St. Vital city councillor Brian Mayes. Students and staff put in the work to build it with assistance from our custodians.

When Brian and I visited the rink during recess a few weeks ago, it was jam-packed with happy students. I was particularly impressed by the curling. The students used wooden curling “rocks” shaped and painted to look and slide like the real deal. What can be more Canadian than hockey and curling?

While the rink is for school use only during the day, it’s become a popular spot for the community in the evenings. I’ve walked by a few times and heard the familiar sound of skates on ice that never fails to bring back childhood memories.

As we emerge from the restrictions and protocols and the school experience moves into a “new normal,” it’s more important than ever that we do all we can to encourage healthy outdoor activities for our kids, like this fantastic skating rink.