Hockey rink proposed for inside of Halifax’s skating oval

A man says support is growing to erect an NHL-sized hockey rink in the grassy hole of an oval-shaped, public skating surface in Halifax.

“I think there’s a huge demand,” Ryan O’Quinn, the organizer behind idea titled Hockey on the Halifax Oval, said on Friday.

The space in question is in the middle of the Emera Oval, a section in the area that’s often empty, he said.

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O’Quinn’s pitch is for a rink surrounded by a barrier. During the warmer part of the year, it could be used for lacrosse, ball hockey, and roller derby.

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“I would love to see a space where people of all backgrounds, genders, abilities, and ages could pass the puck and learn to the play the game that we identify so strongly with our national identity,” O’Quinn said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I would love to see a space where people of all backgrounds, genders, abilities, and ages could pass the puck and learn to the play the game that we identify so strongly with our national identity," O'Quinn said.

Funding could come from philanthropy, and small user fees, among other options, he said.

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Skates, a Zamboni, and other equipment are already at the oval.

His Facebook group in support the idea has more than 2,000 members.

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Brendan Elliott, a spokesperson for the municipal government, said in an email that there would be several things to consider for this kind of proposal.

The middle of the oval is used as a dumping ground for snow, and the space “has become a very popular passive recreation space, where families spend time participating in everything from volleyball to Frisbee” during the summer months, he said.

The oval was supposed to be there temporarily but was eventually kept permanently.

“As part of the legacy from the Canada Winter Games, the priority for the oval was to enhance and provide a top-notch ice surface for speed skaters. Any other use in or around the oval would have to include input and consultation with the speed skating community,” Elliott said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "As part of the legacy from the Canada Winter Games, the priority for the oval was to enhance and provide a top-notch ice surface for speed skaters. Any other use in or around the oval would have to include input and consultation with the speed skating community," Elliott said.

Blocking the view of spectators and speed skaters could be problematic to those.

Ultimately, if the pitch does move forward, Halifax Regional Council would have the final say.