Montrose Cultural Centre skating oval. Photo Credit: Shane Clausing

By Shane Clausing

skating rink

Construction of the Montrose skating oval underway

Nov 2, 2020 | 2:04 PM

Construction on the family skating rink next to the Montrose Cultural Centre is underway.

The rink was first opened in late January of 2019 and was built as a place for families to skate and enjoy the winter weather.

Catherine Ridgeway with the City of Grande Prairie says construction could potentially be completed soon.

“We are just leveling off the area a little bit better this year, so that the ice can sit more level. I think Parks is saying about a week, all depending on how cold it gets and that freezing process.”

Ridgeway tells EverythingGP that crews will begin to flood the rink once temperatures dip down to minus ten at night.

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With a year of the new rink now under their belt, Ridgeway says that they are looking to add more features and activities to the oval, all while complying with Alberta Health Services COVID-19 guidelines.

“With all the COVID protocols we have to be a little more cognizant. We were hoping to maybe do some more rentals and events out in that space, but obviously this year we are a little bit limited in that way, so it’ll be more of an open public space for anybody to come down and use whenever they’d like.”

Ridgeway mentioned that she is also in talks with the Downtown Association of Grande Prairie to hopefully get some lighting for the rink so it can be used in the evening, as well as add more benches for skaters.

She added that discussions with Alberta Health Services are ongoing to see if they could also add food and beverage options to the oval.

Official rink hours are still yet to be determined by the City of Grande Prairie.