Southdale Community Centre to close leisure rink this winter

Southdale Community Centre will not be operating their leisure rink this winter.

In a Facebook post published on July 4, Southdale said hydro costs and ice plant efficiency are the two main reasons for the closure for the 2018-19 season.

“This will allow us to gauge the cost of running the pleasure rink in conjunction with the functionality of the ice plant on the two large rinks for the prime season,” they said in the post.

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The results will be reviewed in Spring 2019, along with a decision regarding future seasons. 

In the meantime, the leisure rink space will temporarily be used as a fitness facility.

Southdale Community Centre President, Tamara Bauknecht, said the closure is not permanent.

“As far as we are concerned it’s coming back,” Bauknecht said. “As a board, this is a year to find out our data…and do we need to make any changes.”

It’s hoping to determine what impact the temporary closure has on hydro and water costs, and ice conditions on the two main rinks.

“This is going to tell us if the leisure rink truly does put some of those demands on the system that are causing some glitches, or if it is potentially something else,” Bauknecht said. “It will also give us a general cost as to what that leisure rink is costing the club over all.”

The rink’s Learn to Skate programs will not be disrupted, they said, and additional public skating time will be scheduled on a full-size rink.

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Global News has reached out to the Southdale Community Centre and the City of Winnipeg for further comment.

The leisure rink has been operating since 2012.