It’s really starting to feel like winter.
Although the season is still technically a few weeks away, the Tree of Hope is lit, Christmas music is starting to pop up and the days are getting depressingly short.
A true sign of winter, however, is the opening of the outdoor ice rink at Stuart Park, which happened just a few minutes ago.
It's coming #Kelowna... #stuartparkicerink - the outdoor rink opens Nov. 30 (weather permitting) with free skating from 6am-11pm daily. We're opening early to accommodate the Canada Winter Games Torch Relay! pic.twitter.com/mEtvOa2qJQ
— City of Kelowna (@cityofkelowna) November 20, 2018
As of 3 p.m. today, the rink is open to the public for another season of outdoor skating.
It usually opens in the first week of December, but the rink opened early this year to accommodate the Canada Winter Games Community Celebration and torch relay at Stuart Park this evening.
The rink will be open for free skating from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. daily throughout the winter season.
Skates, helmets and balance bars will be available to rent on site daily from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., with the exception of Christmas Eve (11 a.m. until 6 p.m.) and Christmas Day (fully closed).
A still-image webcam is set up at the rink so you can always check whether the rink is open, ice conditions and how busy it is before heading down to the park.
The rink should be a busy place this weekend as families, friends and lovers come out for their first skate of the season.
One thing that will be missing this year is the fire pit that's usually located on the north end of the rink.
With FortisBC dealing with a gas shortage this year, the City of Kelowna will be doing its part to conserve natural gas, so bring some extra layers for your skate this year.
So get yourself down to the rink to have a fun skate by the lake and when you post your skating photos to social media, be sure to tag #KelownaNow!
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