North Vancouver's Shipyards ice skating rink opens tomorrow

Metro Vancouver’s largest free outdoor ice rink will officially open tomorrow.

The Shipyards, located on Lot 5 of North Vancouver’s Lonsdale waterfront, is a newly built, mixed-use development and community hub that opened in Summer 2018.

The large, covered outdoor plaza has now been converted into a free ice rink — one far larger than the popular free ice rink at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver.

Mike Wakefield/City of North Vancouver

The City of North Vancouver announced in an email that the rink will be open to the public starting on Wednesday at 1 pm.

The surface is approximately 12,000 sq ft and is covered by a retractable roof.

City of North Vancouver

The mounds in the spray area are covered by seasonal decor and the ice sheet extends around the mounds so that skaters can navigate around them.

Skaters can either bring their own skates or rent a pair of skates on-site, although quantities are limited. Helmets and skating aids are free.

City of North Vancouver

According to the City of North Vancouver, the Skate Plaza also uses a CO2 chiller that “feeds into the Lonsdale Energy Corporation District Energy System.” The plaza will also undergo periodic closures to clean the ice.

Figure skating and hockey will not be permitted at the rink.

During the summer months, the plaza doubles as an outdoor plaza with a spray area.

Opening of The Shipyards on North Vancouver’s Lonsdale waterfront on July 20, 2019. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

With files from Kenneth Chan