RECREATION – Outdoor skating rink at Riverside Park scheduled to open Jan. 7
The rink didn’t look like much today but it will open for use in a couple of days. (Image: Mel Rothenburger)
The Riverside Park outdoor skating rink will officially open to the public on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, at 10 a.m.
A grand opening event will be held Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will feature food trucks, special guests and skate rentals.
The rink will operate for unsupervised daily use throughout the winter season, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, with extended hours until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free. Outside of winter, the unfrozen concrete pad will be used as a walking path and for other recreational uses.
“The Riverside Park outdoor skating facility will serve as a lively, welcoming hub for winter recreation,” said Jeff Putnam, the City’s parks and streets manager.
“We’re excited to invite the community to celebrate this new addition, which enhances the vitality and livability of Kamloops year-round.”
Funded through a $7.16 million Growing Communities Fund grant to support infrastructure projects that enable community growth, the facility features a refrigerated ice surface that maintains skating conditions when outdoor temperatures are below 8°C. The system supports an operational season of about four months, typically from December through March, weather permitting.
The rink features firepits equipped with safety features, ambient lighting, rubberized walkways, flexible seating and tables, and a designated food truck zone to support community events and gatherings.
The new facility is designed for drop-in skating and is not intended for hockey use. For hockey activities, the recently opened mini rink at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre provides a smaller, age-appropriate ice surface that supports skill development and aligns with Hockey Canada’s best practices, according to the City.
For more information on the facility, visit LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/RiversideSkating.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
The City installed a “sharps” container adjacent to Westmount Park not long after Moira House was opened.
I wonder if Mr. Putnam will be thinking of the same type of accessory beside the new ice rink?
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This will get next to zero use m-f when kids are at school but a 4 ft deep wading pool would be packed all summer long. Which would you prefer would have been a great ballot question last summer when we had the PAC and Multiplex referendum… oh wait, nevermind that last part.
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