Skating outdoors on the west coast always feels pretty special, because it’s quite the novelty out here with our mild climate. That’s why it’s easy to get excited that the few outdoor skating venues we have are now opening, and bonus, they are both free!
Today (Wednesday, December 1), at 1 pm, the Shipyards Commons outdoor skate plaza in North Vancouver opens to the public for the season. It is Metro Vancouver’s largest outdoor skating rink. The rink is in a large covered area on the waterfront at The Shipyards, next to Lonsdale Quay Market. They do a wonderful job of maintaining the ice and decorating the rink with seasonal decorations.
If you bring your own skates – you skate for free! But skate rentals are also available at a cost – $7 for adults and $5 for kids. Helmets and skating aides are free. Cash, debit and credit are all accepted. Figure skating and hockey are not permitted at the rink. Ice rink hours are 1 pm – 8 pm. (cleaning happens at 3 pm and 5:30 pm for 30 mins)
The Shipyards ice rink is a welcome, newer addition to Metro Vancouver, only having opened a few years ago. But the classic outdoor Robson Square ice rink is also back this year and it opens tomorrow, December 2.
The Robson Square rink holds a special place in my own childhood Christmas memories. My parents used to take me and my siblings down there a lot when we were younger. And for years, it was tradition to go skating there on Christmas Eve with all of my cousins. Eventually our family just got too big and we needed a larger rink and started the tradition of renting out one of the city’s indoor rinks for a family hockey game every Christmas Eve (doing that again this year), but for years it was always the free skate at Robson Square.
Under the covered outdoor plaza at Robson Square. The rink has an indoor skate rental and a cafe area. There will also be an outdoor patio with heaters. You can also expect live music performances there from December 13 to 24. As with the Shipyards, skating is free if you bring your own skates. Skates can be rented for a fee, and note, helmets are mandatory for anyone under the age of 12.
The Robson Square Ice Rink will operate Sunday to Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm and Friday to Saturday between 9 am and 11 pm.
The Robson Square Ice Rink is not a big one. It’s a lovely spot to take a little turn especially with younger kids but if your older kids are excellent skaters and used to a large rink they may find Robson Square a little confining. The smaller size also means it could get pretty busy during peak hours.
