There is a lot of controversy over whether the Outdoor Skating Oval should stay as a permanent fixture in the Halifax Commons. The skating oval was built to be used for the Canada Winter Games in February of 2011. The estimated cost to keep the skating oval open to the public would be
$250,000 per year. The general public is mixed about this, some are lobbying for it to stay open free of charge, some are open to a per use charge and some want it to be ripped out after the games are over.
I have seen 2 outdoor skating paths in operation for free to the public operated by municipalities in Ontario and they are a huge hit with the community. I think that this outdoor skating oval would be an excellent opportunity to provide something back to the community and also encourages family as well as physical activities to keep the community active and healthy. In my opinion it doesn’t make sense to ‘rip the structure’ out since it is already in place. There are many possibilities for the city to recoup and profit from this as well including: locker rental, refreshment booth, possible parking, equipment rental, etc.
Click Here For More Information About The Halifax Skating Oval
Photos courtesy of The Coast
Terry Holdershaw, Founder of East Coast Proud












