Canopy skating rink opens at The Forks

The canopy rink at The Forks. (Source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

Winnipeggers looking to lace up their skates this season can head to The Forks and hit the ice at the canopy rink.

The outdoor rink opened to the public Saturday after days of sub-zero temperatures. It’s the first winter attraction open at The Forks so far.

“The team worked quite hard to obviously flood and pour layers on and ‘grow that ice’ as we say, and it’s ready now for skating,” said The Forks’ Zach Peters.

Skate rentals are available at The Forks, though people can also bring their own equipment.

“If the temperature suddenly rises, it’ll cause issues, but right now, forecast looks great, and we’re excited to have something for people to skate on,” Peters said.

Last season, warm temperatures wreaked havoc on winter activities, including the Nestawaya River Trail. The trail was only open for nine days before it was forced to shut down.

This year, Peters said the team is hopeful for a better winter season.

The next projects will be the on-land trails that extend from the canopy rink to the CN Stage. Afterwards, the team will turn its attention to the river.

“The river is nowhere near ready yet at this point,” Peters said. “It certainly is not safe to be out on the thin ice yet.”

Peters said the earliest the river trail has opened is at the end of December, but people can usually expect it to be up and running in January.

The Forks has also launched its Trail Together campaign in effort to get the community involved in fundraising for the Nestawaya River Trail. Community members can adopt a metre of the trail and help pave the way to completion.

The Winnipeg Foundation is supporting the project as well.

“We’re quite excited to see people come out and skate,” Peters said.

Skaters are asked to visit The Forks' website to monitor rink and trail conditions as the season stretches on.