Accessible outdoor rink in Calgary achieves gold certification
Despite the temperature hovering around -20 C, it's time for hockey players to slide onto the ice at Alberta's first accessible outdoor rink.
The Parkdale Community Rink in northwest Calgary is ready for its first full winter skating and hockey season.
It was built with accessibility for sledge hockey in mind.
"I think it's super important to have an accessible rink because outdoor hockey is for everybody," said project manager John Butterwick.
"When people show up, they show up with their families, their friends and they're all different ages and abilities. To have a rink that's specifically designed for accessibility has made a huge impact on the community," he said.
The Parkland rink has now officially received the "Certified Gold" rating from the Rick Hansen Foundation's accessibility certification program.
The rink has a long list of accessibility features, including wider entry gates, clear rink boards to allow players and spectators to watch while in their sleds or wheelchairs and accessible change rooms and washrooms.
"Having a rink like this that's fully accessible here in Calgary is actually huge for players like myself," said Troy Clemmer, a local sledge hockey player who plays on several teams to try and get as much time on the ice as possible.
"Having that outdoor rink and feeling that rush and that cold air makes it that much more fun, too."
Several sledge hockey teams have already booked the rink for weekly practices and shinny.
"For me personally, it's really great because it gives me another opportunity to grow my skills. It's another place to do that," said Shane Mott, another sledge hockey player who hit the ice on Thursday.
The community volunteer group who helps clear the snow and work on the ice hopes to have it fully open by this coming weekend.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.