(Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum / CFJC Today)

By Curtis Goodrum

Go for a Twirl

New Riverside Park outdoor skating rink opens to the public

Jan 7, 2026 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS – A new outdoor skating rink at Riverside Park is open to the public starting Wednesday (Jan. 7). The rink comes with its own mini Zamboni, fire pits and benches.

The project cost over $7 million, all of which was funded through a provincial grant. The high cost was due to a cooling system installed under the ice to keep the rink open for as long as possible.

“Thousands of brine lines, which are the refrigerant that circulates under the rink. Two massive refrigeration chillers keep it cool so we can keep really good quality outdoor ice here, under conditions that are 8 C or cooler,” said Jeff Putnam, the parks and streets manager with the City of Kamloops.

The skating rink is a culmination of 10 years of work from city staff, with an aim to bring more people to Riverside Park during the winter.

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“This is a perfect fit within the park, because it’s good access to downtown. People are very familiar with the location, and it just seems to be a perfect fit, and the fact that it’s free allows and makes it much more accessible for the entire community to enjoy skating,” said Putnam

The grand opening of the rink will be held on January 17 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., but the rink is open for anybody to skate at from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., with an extra hour in the evening on weekends going forward into spring.