Didsbury set to reopen rink following December ammonia leak

A close-up of a hockey skate. (Pexels/cottonbro studio)

The Town of Didsbury is set to reopen its rink this month after it was closed due to an ammonia leak in December.

The Didsbury Memorial Complex was shut down after the leak was discovered in the rink’s condenser, forcing the cancellation of some games and practices.

The town council approved the rental of a condenser unit/cooling tower after it was determined that the original unit could not be repaired.

In a statement Tuesday, Didsbury Mayor Rhonda Hunter said the main ice surface will be reinstalled in the complex, but the leisure ice and curling rink ice will not, due to power capacity issues.

The main ice surface is scheduled to be open before Feb. 1.

“Council and administration extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you to all user groups for their understanding and support during what has been a very impactful situation on all of their members and their hockey, skating, and curling seasons,” Hunter said in the statement.

“We truly understand what this has meant to you all, and, as ardent fans and supporters of recreation in our community and of you all, we feel the loss of the access to our facilities right along with you.”

The town initially announced that the rink would be closed for the entirety of the 2024-25 season, as it estimated it would take three to four months to get the unit replaced.