Sylvia Holden Rink Proposal—Project Description

For over 30 winters, the city has installed a public boarded skating rink in the Glebe. For many years, the rink found its home in the schoolyard of Mutchmor Public School, but it had a temporary home at the St. James Tennis Club, as well.

While there are other public skating rinks in the neighbourhood, this was the only community rink with boards. It has been a popular amenity in the neighbourhood and one which continued thanks to much work and collaboration over the years, including dedicated volunteers, GNAG, community advocates, city staff, and others.

Mutchmor Public School’s role as host to the rink has since ended, with winter 2024/25 having been the final season for the rink’s operation at this site. Seeking another location for a boarded rink, city staff reviewed all parks in the Glebe and found that most were unsuitable due to lack of water and electrical infrastructure and available space, among other challenges.

Locations explored, but ultimately not selected, included the following sites/parks:

• Mutchmor Public School: No longer a willing host.
• Glebe Collegiate Institute: Not a willing host.
• Glebe Memorial Park: A boarded rink would displace the popular puddle rinks.
• Brown’s Inlet Park: No available water or electrical infrastructure.
• Chamberlain Park: No available water or electrical infrastructure.
• Patterson’s Lagoon: Space is too small for a boarded rink.
• Capital Park: Park is too small, with no available water or electrical infrastructure. 

Ultimately, the most feasible site was identified at Sylvia Holden Park along O’Connor Street.

This space could accommodate a boarded rink of up to 20 metres by 45 metres and the park has the available water supply and electrical services to accommodate a permanent rink water service, permanent rink bunker and permanent rink lights. 

Proposed Rink Pilot Season: 2025/26

For the 2025/26 winter season, it is proposed to operate a pilot rink to serve as a test of the boarded rink’s usage and popularity. For the pilot season, only a permanent rink water service will be installed, which is required to support the operation of the boarded rink. This water service will consist of an underground valve chamber with an at-grade manhole cover and a vertical standpipe to connect the rink hose. The remainder of the support infrastructure would be temporary, consisting of the repurposing and expansion of the Mutchmor rink boards, a seasonal trailer for a heated skate change space and hose storage, and six seasonal rink lights, three on each side of the rink. The boards, trailer and seasonal lights would be installed in late fall and removed in the spring. The concept plan below shows the proposed location of the seasonal boarded rink and permanent water service, as well as the temporary rink support infrastructure for the 2025/26 pilot season.

Potential Permanent Seasonal Rink Infrastructure: 2026/27

Should the seasonal board rink on Sylvia Holden Park prove popular in the pilot phase, a second phase of permanent rink infrastructure installation would follow in 2026. Three taller, permanent rink light poles would be installed on the west side of the boarded rink, so that the light from the LED fixtures is directed away from the homes on O’Connor Street, minimizing light spillover to residents. An existing change room in the park pavilion would be insulated and heated for use as a permanent skate change room. A permanent rink bunker to store the rink hose and maintenance equipment would also be installed. The concept plan below shows the location of the seasonal boarded rink and the proposed permanent rink support infrastructure for the 2026/27 winter season.

Sylvia Holden Rink Proposal—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Would the rink boards and any structural requirements be removed every spring?
   
   Answer: The rink boards would be installed each year once the ground freezes and removed in the spring once the grass has dried out from the ice melt. Only the rink water service, the three permanent rink lights and rink bunker would remain year-round.
   
   For the 2025/26 pilot season, the only permanent element which will be installed is the water service.
   
   
2. Would the lights, rink and trailer/park pavilion operate on daily fixed hours?
   
   Answer: Yes, the lights, rink and trailer/park pavilion would operate on standard park hours, from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. The rink lights would shut off automatically each day at 11:00 pm.
   
   
3. Would the lights shine from 5:30am until 11pm each day during the rink season?
   
   Answer: No, they would not. The rink lights are push-button activated. Once activated, the lights would stay on until auto-shut off at 11:00 pm.
   
   The permanent rink lights would be operable during the rink season only; once the rink is uninstalled for the season, the push-button activation on the lights will no longer function.
   
   
4. What would be the approximate height of the light poles? 
   
   Answer: This would be determined in the final design.
   
   
5. Would the trailer/park pavilion be locked outside of daily operational hours?
   
   Answer: Yes.
   
   
6. Would the rink affect the grass? Is any remediation possible to mitigate these impacts?
   
   Answer: The grass would be affected by the rink but once spring rain and growing season begin, the grass would regenerate. Overseeding may be required and could be requested of city staff.
   
   
7. Would any trees need to come down as a result of installing the rink, including the initial watermain work?
   
   Answer: No trees would be removed as part of this project.
   
   
8. How far away from the trees would the light poles be installed? 
   
   Answer: This will depend on the final design. At this point, we expect lights to be installed approximately three metres from the tree line.
   
   
9. Would the rink lights be permanent installations? Would they face away from homes?
   
   Answer: A pilot rink season in winter 2025/26 would use six seasonal rink lights, three on either side of the rink; these would be installed in the late fall and removed in the spring.
   
   If the 2025/26 pilot season proves successful, three permanent LED light fixtures would be installed. These lights would point away from the homes on O’Connor St to provide directed light to the rink while minimizing light pollution for nearby residents.
   
   
10. Could nets be put up around the rink to help prevent the possibility of pucks hitting people/cars?
    
    Answer: We are working with staff on this request.
    
    
11. Would a rink affect local street parking?
    
    Answer: It’s not expected that a boarded rink would have significant impacts on local street parking availability.
    
    
12. Will I get the chance to share my input and feedback on this project?
    
    Yes, an online consultation will be shared with residents. Further, both city staff and our office will seek feedback as the pilot progresses.