Windsor’s City Hall Square skating rink to open within weeks

Are you wondering what all happened this week at Windsor’s council meeting? CTV Windsor’s Travis Fortnum summarizes what you need to know.

Windsor’s new downtown skating rink is almost ready to welcome its first skaters.

City staff told council Monday the transformation of the Charles Clark Square fountain into an ice rink is well underway, with refrigeration equipment already being tested and installation work ramping up over the coming weeks.

James Chacko, the city’s Executive Director of Parks and Facilities, said the process began last week after the fountain was shut down and the refrigeration contractor arrived to start up the system.

“It’s within the next three to four weeks now at this point, if everything goes well with the weather,” Chacko told council.

“Immediately after the Remembrance Day ceremonies, you’ll begin to see increased activity here at the square.”

Mayor Drew Dilkens said the new rink is a full-sized oval and part of a broader effort to turn the area beside City Hall into a year-round community gathering space.

“The public said make it more than just a two-month feature, so we used gas tax money from the federal government to add the water feature,” he said.

“It was so highly used in the summer, and now the ice rink being a central feature — I know it’s going to be well used.”

Dilkens added he plans to lace up himself once the ice is ready.

“I do have skates, and I will be one of the first ones out there,” he said with a smile.

“It’s a regular size ice rink… and it’s going to be great with the lighting and the music that we have as well. It’s going to be an experience that’s free to everyone in the city of Windsor.”

No official opening date has been set, but city officials expect the rink to open in early to mid-December.