Ice, Ice, Baby: Where to find outdoor skating rinks in York Region

Skating on an outdoor rink, arguably ranks among the most enjoyable winter activities

Yorkregion.com
February 11, 2020
Amanda Persico

All rinks are weather permitting. Check with local municipalities for current ice status.

Aurora:

The town operates four outdoor rinks -- Ada Johnson Park, Confederation Park, Machell Park and Town Park --which are lit and open daily until 11 p.m. Hockey and skating are permitted at Ada Johnson Park, Confederation Park and Machell Park.

Bradford:

The town maintains an outdoor rink at Bud Brown Park located in Bond Head. The park is open and lit daily, until 11 p.m. Shovels are left at the rink for users to clear the ice after use.

Georgina:

The Pefferlaw Ice Pad is a full-sized outdoor rink, complete with hockey boards and a roof. The rink is open daily, with scheduled times for parent and tot, senior and public skating as well as shinny hockey.

Newmarket:

The refrigerated ice rink at Riverwalk Commons, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with pickup hockey permitted 10 p.m. to midnight. There are also several community-run rinks at Ken Sturgeon and Lions Park.

Markham:

The large city-run outdoor rink at the Civic Centre is open daily. You can rent skates Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays. The city also has eight volunteer-run ice rinks in Cornell, Markham Village, Thornhill and Unionville.

Richmond Hill:

The 250-metre trail at Richmond Green is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is lit at night and has heated washrooms and change rooms. You can also skate at Mill Pond, weather permitting, and Crosby Park.

Whitchurch-Stouffville:

There are a couple outdoor rinks in Whitchurch-Stouffville that are run by volunteers and built by town staff. This year, there are ice rinks at Gar Lehman and Greenwood parks.

Vaughan:

The city operates five outdoor skating facilities --Chancellor Community Centre, Dufferin Clark Community Centre, Father Ermanno Bulfon Community Centre, Garnet A. Williams Community Centre and Vellore Village Community Centre. For supervised hours, visit the city’s website.