Great Skate #20: Hodgson Public School

Skating in Toronto in March is a bad news/good news situation.

The bad news: most of the city's outdoor rinks close at the end of February - even if there is still snow, and bitter winds, and freezing temperatures.*

The good news: if the rinks are closing, it means winter is coming to an end, despite the weather forecast.

The rink at Hodgson Public School was one of the few still open in Toronto last weekend, so my friend Cathy and I bundled up and headed there on Saturday, March 2 to squeeze in another skate before spring.

We arrived at about 10am, and there were just a few families on the ice, with a group of shinny players on the neighbouring rink. The ice was smooth and hard, and the school walls sheltered the wind.

By 11am, the rink was getting busy. With so many rinks closed, the remaining rinks are even more popular. We couldn't feel our toes by that point, so we called it quits and went for breakfast.


A sign posted in an outdoor rink explains that the rink is closing for the season


Why do ice rinks close even when the weather is cold?

The angle of the sun can cause outdoor ice rinks to close even if the weather is still cold. Here's how they explain it on the CityRinks.ca site:

"The easiest time to make good outdoor ice is two months from the winter solstice in either direction, when the sun is lowest in the sky and has the least power. After February, on sunny days, outdoor ice gets mushy and rutted, even if it's below zero and the compressors are running all the time."

Learn more on the CityRinks site here.

Location: 282 Davisville Ave, Toronto, ON M4S 1H2, Canada

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