Canada 150 rink to stay for February - but hockey still a no-no

The extension on the $5.6-million rink was a sudden change from the plan unveiled a day earlier, which saw the rink set to close Jan. 1.

Thestar.com
Nov. 23, 2017
By Alex Ballingall

The government's rink on Parliament Hill will stay open an extra two months, but Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly skated around questions Thursday about how much that will add to its $5.6-million cost.

Joly made the abrupt change in the rink's schedule one day after championing its original 26-day lifespan - Dec. 7 to Jan. 1 - as "really good news" and a great way to close out Canada's 150th anniversary celebration.

She told reporters outside the House of Commons that the sudden extension to the end of February is because of an agreement with the parliamentary speakers, who have authority over events on the Hill, and will allow the rink to stay open during Ottawa's annual Winterlude festival.

Joly refused to answer repeated questions about any additional cost, saying she'll "have the chance to give more details on that later on."

The "Canada 150 Rink" is being built on the front lawn of Parliament Hill. Complete with boards, glass, a cooling system and bleachers, the rink will host a children's hockey tournament and other programming in December, as well as free daily skating sessions for the public.

But an initiative that could seem as likely to succeed as a scoring an empty-netter started raising eyebrows when it was revealed that it would only be open for less than a month. At a budgeted $5.6 million, the cost broke down to more than $215,000 for each day it was initially slated to be open (that number, with a new timeframe of 84 days, is now $66,667 per day).

Joly repeated Thursday that, once it is taken down, the rink will be donated. She previously explained the plan is to give the boards and glass to a "vulnerable" community in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

While the timeline for the rink has been extended, a list of rules remains unchanged. No hockey sticks or pucks will be allowed during public skating sessions, according to the rink's promotional website which also boasts an artist's rendition of the rink with - wait for it - skaters with hockey sticks. Skaters also won't be allowed to use cellphones, or eat food on the rink.

The government's rink on Parliament Hill will stay open an extra two months, but Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly skated around questions Thursday about how much that will add to its $5.6-million cost.

Joly made the abrupt change in the rink's schedule one day after championing its original 26-day lifespan - Dec. 7 to Jan. 1 - as "really good news" and a great way to close out Canada's 150th anniversary celebration.

She told reporters outside the House of Commons that the sudden extension to the end of February is because of an agreement with the parliamentary speakers, who have authority over events on the Hill, and will allow the rink to stay open during Ottawa's annual Winterlude festival.

Joly refused to answer repeated questions about any additional cost, saying she'll "have the chance to give more details on that later on."

The "Canada 150 Rink" is being built on the front lawn of Parliament Hill. Complete with boards, glass, a cooling system and bleachers, the rink will host a children's hockey tournament and other programming in December, as well as free daily skating sessions for the public.

But an initiative that could seem as likely to succeed as a scoring an empty-netter started raising eyebrows when it was revealed that it would only be open for less than a month. At a budgeted $5.6 million, the cost broke down to more than $215,000 for each day it was initially slated to be open (that number, with a new timeframe of 84 days, is now $66,667 per day).

Joly repeated Thursday that, once it is taken down, the rink will be donated. She previously explained the plan is to give the boards and glass to a "vulnerable" community in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

While the timeline for the rink has been extended, a list of rules remains unchanged. No hockey sticks or pucks will be allowed during public skating sessions, according to the rink's promotional website which also boasts an artist's rendition of the rink with - wait for it - skaters with hockey sticks. Skaters also won't be allowed to use cellphones, or eat food on the rink.