Natural Ice Rinks

City of Toronto residents can come together to create Natural Ice Rinks on parkland in their communities.

Review the Natural Ice Rink Operating Requirements for instructions on making and maintaining your rink. Applications for 2024/2025 closed on November 15, 2024.

Applications are reviewed every year.

Approved rinks for 2024/25 will be available in late November/early December.

Natural ice rinks are weather-dependent.

 

The community group must

  • Comprise a minimum of six (6) participating volunteers, of which two (2) will take on a leadership role and act as primary contacts for City staff. Members must be 18 years of age or older, due to the physical demands required for rink building and maintenance
  • Attend a training and orientation session on building and maintaining a natural ice rink for any new locations or new members
  • Be responsible for building and maintaining the rink by following the Natural Ice Rink Operating Requirements, which include flooding the ice, removing snow, and closing of rink at the end of the season
  • Ensure all volunteers wear CSA-approved helmets and ice cleats (not skates) while on the ice
  • Keep the rink open to all (e.g., fencing is not permitted)
  • Provide a contact method for community members who want to get involved (e.g., email address, phone number, social media, meet on-site, etc.). This information may also be posted on this page

The City of Toronto provides

  • Water access through an existing winterized water connection (no fire hydrants or residential water sources and no new services will be installed), water key, hoses, and nozzle
  • Two (2) snow shovels per rink
  • Lighting (where available)
  • Installation of signage
  • Training and orientation session on building and maintaining a natural ice rink for any new locations or new members
  • Insurance for community group volunteers

The City of Toronto does not provide

  • 5 cm by 10 cm/2″ by 4″ lumber or 7.5 cm/3″ PVC pipe for ice rink borders
  • Wide push broom, which is useful for sweeping snow to rink edges
  • Garden rake, which may be useful for moving snow around during base preparation

Boards and Rink-in-a-Box

  • The use of boards is allowed at the Parks Supervisor’s discretion, between December 1 and April 1 every year
  • Boards are to be supplied, installed, and stored offsite by the community group
  • Boards cannot be higher than 25 cm/10″
  • Staking into the ground is prohibited
  • A plastic liner, or “rink in a box”, is permitted, but in case of thaw, water cannot exceed 5 cm/2″ as this may present a drowning hazard