This Sunday, the Exhibition Park ice oval will be taking a beating when hundreds of skaters dig their blades in to cover the five-kilometre Prince George Iceman course.
Organizers of the multisport endurance race, which includes cross-country skiing, running, skating and swimming, are no doubt relieved that with the city locked in a deep freeze this week the oval ice will be rock-hard and should stand up well to all that traffic.
But it’s not always cold enough to make outdoor ice in Prince George.
The 2015 Canada Winter Games long-track events had to be moved to Fort St. John due to poor ice conditions and there was no skating segment for the Iceman in 2023 because it was too warm.
Last year was a classic example of erratic winter weather and the volunteer-run facility was open to the public for less than 30 days.
Prince George has had a 400-metre outdoor oval at Exhibition Park for 32 years, and ever since it was moved to a permanent site just west of the Kin Centre in 2007 it’s always been a topic of discussion.
What would take to refrigerate the oval and extend the skating season?
That question was put to city councillors during their Monday, Feb. 3 meeting at city hall. Kathy Lewis, president of the Prince George Ice Oval Society, convinced council to ask city staff to determine, in detail, what refrigeration would cost.
The comprehensive plan will figure out the difference in cost between a concrete surface that could be used for year-round skate training and a sand-crush surface, one of the options the society is considering.
“(The estimate) will position us, should there be some opportunities come through for fairly significant grants,” said Lewis. “Normally those big grants, the municipality has to apply for them but right now there’s just too many questions about how much it will cost.
“We went to move forward with refrigeration but we need more information. Maybe there are some ways we can make it cheaper like not using concrete, but then you sacrifice the ability to use it in the summer.”
Lewis has had rough estimates which peg the cost at $6-8 million, but she suspects an up-to-date estimate would be considerably higher due to the rising costs of construction.
The city has been giving the society $30,000 or close to that amount for the past three years to help build a capital equipment fund. The water truck was replaced this year with a 2015 model and Lewis says that as the bobcats near the end of their lifespans parts are difficult to find so they will have to soon be replaced.
The society has its own ice-making equipment, including a Zamboni, water truck with plough and two bobcats for snow removal.
The crew that builds and maintains the ice spends a combined 1,200 and 1,800 volunteer hours on the oval each season.
The rink has a change room (Canfor House), indoor washrooms and a rental skate program that also provides skating aids.
The oval, which opened this year in early January, has never been open more than 100 days in one season. The skating season was less than 60 days for the past four winters. Use of the oval ice spiked during the COVID pandemic when most indoor facilities were closed.
“We usually open before Christmas,” said Lewis. “Last year (2023-24) we didn’t open until the 27th of January, it was an absolutely horrible year. This year is looking better. I think we’ll be alright for Iceman.”
Lewis said the Prince George rink is one of only a few outdoor ovals in Canada.
Halifax has an outdoor 400-metre rink built for the 2019 Canada Winter Games that is refrigerated. There’s also an outdoor oval in Regina.
