Marina's skating rink was a success in winter, but what about summer?

Jude Osmond

The new Aylmer Marina skating rink is to be dismantled for the warm season. The site, which opened this winter, was immensely successful, with heavy action throughout the season. Now that summer is near, the question has been asked: What are they going to do with the rink in the summer as the river ice has melted and the rink is still there.

The rink is a self-freeze pad that doesn’t depend on the weather to freeze, so it stays in good condition. It is more of a fridge-type system where it stays cold even with the heat of summer.

Vincent Roy, Aylmer District Municipal Councillor, told the Bulletin that the ice rink at the Marina was a “game changer” for the Marina, as it brought out a lot of visitors from the region.

“We know a lot of people visit the Marina in the summer, but the rink allowed people to visit it more in the winter as well,’’ Roy stated. “There were probably close to 10,000 people there this winter.

The plans for the rink are to dismantle it for the summer to save on infrastructure costs. The boards around the rink will be removed and put back in the fall when the rink is reopened.

Roy mentioned that the skating rink is a two-year pilot project (2026 and 2027), meaning they are still in the testing phase. He anticipates that, with the success of the rink's first year, it will move beyond the pilot project stage and become a more stable, permanent infrastructure.