Prince George outdoor ice oval in jeopardy due to warming winters
Volunteers ask city to help fund $3.7 million refrigeration system
Skating outdoors on natural ice is a classically Canadian pastime, but in Prince George, opportunities to lace 'em up at the city's outdoor ice oval are shrinking every year due to warming winter temperatures.
That's why volunteers with the Prince George Ice Oval Society are asking the city to help fund a $3.7 million refrigeration system at the facility.
"It's really not that big a project in comparison to other capital projects," said oval president Kathy Lewis. "The benefits that would come from it would be pretty significant."
Lewis's group cites an increase in the average maximum winter temperatures in Prince George of about two degrees over the last 55 years — from –4 C in 1960 to –2 C in 2015.
In a brief presented to city council Lewis notes, "use of this facility is seriously and negatively impacted by weather‐related in‐season closures and reduction in season length."
During the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, the majority of the long-track speed skating events had to be moved to Fort St. John due to melting ice at the Prince George oval.
Prince George city council has voted to support the refrigeration plan but has placed the project on its unfunded capital plan list.
Council says it will revisit city funding after it becomes clear how much money can be raised from other sources.