The Riverside Park outdoor skating rink is pictures on March 18, 2026. (Image Credit: Victor Kaisar/CFJC Today)

By Victor Kaisar

Outdoor Rink Closing

Warm weather forces earlier than expected closure of Riverside Park skating rink

Mar 19, 2026 | 6:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops will be closing the Riverside Park outdoor skating rink a few days ahead of schedule because of warm and unseasonable weather.

In a statement, the city says the inaugural season at the outdoor skating loop will end at 9:00 p.m. this Friday (March 20) instead of 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22 as previously announced.

“With this week’s unseasonably warm weather, we’re saying goodbye to the Riverside Park Skating Loop a little earlier than planned,” the statement said, noting the space will be transformed for the summer months, with that work expected to be done by early April.

“What an incredible inaugural season. Thank you for every glide, laugh, and memory made on the ice.”

The $7.1 million rink has been very popular since it opened on Jan. 7. The ice is expected to be reinstalled in about eight months time as the city envisions operating the skating rink between December and March each year as long as outdoor temperatures aren’t consistently above 8 C.

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Carmin Mazzotta, the city’s community and culture director, said staff expect to present a report at the May 11 Livability and Sustainability Committee meeting that will outline future plans for the outdoor skating rink.

“We intend to bring forward data from the vendor [Okanagan Affordable Rentals] and the results of this year and the next steps about where we need to be and where we plan to be headed moving forward with the skating loop heading into the next winter season,” Mazzotta said in February.