Skip to content

New outdoor skating rink may be coming to Erin

A rink is proposed for the Mountainview Parkette near the corner of Mountainview Crescent and Dianne Road
20221123-mountainview-jg
Mountainview Parkette in photo Stephen Sargent included in outline for Town of Erin council.

ERIN — An Erin resident wants to establish a community rink in the village.

Stephen Sargent will be at council on Thursday seeking council support to build an outdoor rink at Mountainview Parkette.

Sargent already built his family an outdoor rink at his house on Kenneth Avenue in the past but so did other local residents.

“Last year I built an ice rink in our backyard for the kids to enjoy … but I noticed that many of my neighbours did the same,” Sargent wrote to the council.

A community rink is not entirely new for the residents of Mountainview Crescent and surrounding area.

“Speaking with neighbours, I learned that years ago there was a community rink at the location now called Moutainview Parkette, for all the residents to skate at together,” Sargent wrote.

Sargent wants to at least get approval from council to build a rink. If possible, he is also looking to get help with accessing water for the rink and the building of it.

The town has found that there is a desire in the community for more outdoor rinks in the community.

“Over half of respondents to the Residents Survey were ‘satisfied' or ‘very satisfied’ with the existing outdoor rinks. Some people would like to see additional outdoor ice rinks be developed,” according to the Town of Erin Parks, Recreation, Culture Master Plan.

“Continue to encourage and support local volunteer and community organizations in the development, maintenance and operation of outdoor ice skating rinks. Additional outdoor rinks at Town or Community Parks should only be provided if justified through park master planning and business planning processes,” was the recommendation in Erin’s plan.

There have previously been outdoor rinks in Hillsburgh and Orton.

Jesse Gault is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.