Outdoor Skating

As soon as the winter air turns crisp and the ice thickens, ponds and waterways transform into frozen playgrounds, hosting hockey games and figure skaters – and even those taking their first shaky steps onto the glassy surface helped along by orange pylons.

1. PORT HOPE CAROLINE STREET RINK
32 Caroline Street, Port Hope

Fulfill your hockey dreams at this outdoor rink, which comes complete with professional boards and glass and is fully lit and still bustling until 11pm. porthope.ca for rink schedule.

2. ROTARY HARBOURFRONT OUTDOOR RINK
35 Albert Street, Cobourg

While this circular rink doesn’t allow sticks on the ice, it does offer beautiful views of the waterfront and Victoria Hall and has washrooms and parking close by. 8am – 8pm daily. cobourg.ca

3. CASTLETON SPORTS CLUB
150 Cemetery Road, Castleton

The Castleton Sports Club volunteers offer more than one outdoor rink. One rink is dedicated to Crokicurl, while the main rink caters to both family skate and stick and puck times. For rink hours and dates, visit castletonsportsclub.ca

4. HASTINGS OUTDOOR RINK
14 Front Street West, Hastings

This volunteer-run rink is built with community donations and maintained by a team of local residents (including firefighters). They even have a mascot! facebook.com/HastingsOutdoorRink.

5. BATAWA LIONS CLUB SKATING RINKS
81 Plant Street, Batawa

The Batawa Lions Club has four outdoor skating rinks and is known for the annual CFB Trenton Pond Hockey Classic held in early February – an event that supports both the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation and Wounded Warriors Canada. batawalionsclub.com for rink info, or facebook.com/TrentonPondHockeyClassic for tournament dates.

6. BELLEVILLE VICTORIA PARK HARBOUR
86 South Front Street, Belleville

Belleville boasts a number of outdoor rinks, but one of the most popular venues is Victoria Harbour. City staffers monitor ice conditions and post when it’s safe to skate. facebook.com

7. PARSONS BREWING COMPANY RINK
876 County Road 49, Picton

You don’t have to be a patron of the brewing company to enjoy this outdoor covered rink, but you can skate for a small hourly fee or rent the whole facility and enjoy their “tins and snack” menu too. Contact: [email protected] or visit: facebook.com/ParsonsBrewing

8. ZAMBONI DRIVER DAY
January 19th shines the spotlight on Zambonis and their drivers. Drop by your local rink and give a “thumbs up” thanks to the guys and gals who spin their machines around the ice and join in on fun Zamboni activities – maybe even get to drive a Zamboni around the ice.