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By Victor Kaisar

New Skating Rink

New mini-skating rink coming to McArthur Island in north Kamloops

May 15, 2025 | 11:03 AM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops has announced plans to turn the space occupied by the McArthur Island Curling Club into a mini-skating rink for recreational skating and youth hockey players.

It says the mini-skating rink will allow U-7 and U-9 hockey teams to practice and play games in a smaller space that is more suited to their abilities. It will also be used for public and club skating, which the City says will create additional ice time at the other rinks.

“This initiative addresses the growing demand for ice time, supports youth hockey development, and enhances recreational facilities for all residents,” Councillor Kelly Hall, the Chair of the Build Kamloops committee said, in a statement.

“By transforming this space, we are creating more opportunities for community and user groups to enjoy ice sports. It’s another significant step in the Build Kamloops project.”

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The new skating rink comes as both the McArthur Island Curling Club and Kamloops Curling Club signed a memorandum of understanding to support the development of a new curling facility that will replace the two facilities.

The McArthur Island Club held its final bonspiel earlier this year, and the two clubs will share space at the Kamloops Curling Club downtown until the new curling facility – which is currently still in development – is built.

The City expects it will take around three months to convert the McArthur Island curling club into the mini-skating rink. Work will include the installation of dasher boards, the addition of rubber mats to non-playing areas, and upgrades to the refrigeration system.

“The demand for more ice time has been increasing, even with the announcement of the arena multiplex,” Sherri Holmes, the City’s Sport, Recreation, and Wellness Manager added, in a statement.

“The mini skating rink is an opportunity to expand our capacity for ice sports and to work towards fulfilling the demand while the multiplex is being developed.”

Funding for the project will come from the budget for the arena multiplex. A bylaw to borrow up to $135 million for the arena multiplex and design work for future recreation facilities was adopted by council in early April.

According to the City, the new mini-skating rink is expected to generate approximately $100,000 in additional revenue per season.