(Image Credit: City of Kamloops)

By Victor Kaisar

Outdoor Skating

Inaugural season at Riverside Park outdoor skating rink to end on March 22

Mar 6, 2026 | 12:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — The inaugural season of the Riverside Park Skating Loop will come to a close in a little over two weeks time.

The City of Kamloops has announced that the outdoor skating rink will close at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 22. The closure comes at the midway point of the Kamloops-Thompson School District’s spring break which runs March 14 to 29.

“We tried to strike balance between keeping it open as long as possible versus taking our chances on the weather conditions,” Jeff Putnam, the city’s parks and streets manager said, when asked about the chosen closing date.

“We also need time to remove the ice and disassemble the facility from winter to summer use. I know that both Kelowna and Penticton have already closed their facilities.”

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The $7.1 million outdoor skating rink has been wildly popular since it opened on Jan. 7. Construction began early last year after city council greenlit the project in February 2024, about one year after the city’s Committee of the Whole voted to use provincial funding for the project.

“Over the past few months, the skating loop has become a true community gathering place, bringing together families, friends, and skaters of all ages to share the joy of winter in the heart of Riverside Park,” a statement from the City of Kamloops said.

“The incredible turnout and enthusiasm from the community have made this first season something special.”

The opening of the rink this year helped the Kamloops Outdoor Skating Association realize its roughly decade-old dream of seeing people skating at Riverside Park.

“The skating is wonderful but building community is even better,” the association’s Nancy Bepple said in January. “You see parents taking their kids skating for the first time and then you see people who are over 60, over 70 who are still enjoying it as skating is a lifetime activity.”

“You see grandparents watching kids skate, couples enjoying time together, or just a person on the ice by themselves.”

The ice is due to return this December as the city envisions operating the skating rink between December and March as long as outdoor temperatures aren’t consistently above 8 C. During the summer months, the city plans to use the area to stage food trucks and host other recreational activities at Riverside Park.

“When the ice is out, the area will be transformed into a concrete slab with a great walking loop for roller skating, rollerblading, and we also have an area that is adjacent there for food trucks,” Sherri Holmes, the city’s sport, recreation and wellness manager, said in November.

Putnam told CFJC Today that the city aims to have the space converted for summer use by early April, though he wasn’t able to provide an exact date.

“This being the first year of doing this, it may take a little longer or less to complete the conversion,” Putnam added.