Rink change area: Described as an "architectural jewel," but it has only one (huge) washroom and two rows of benches on opposite walls. Small hooks for jackets, no lockers

Staff: one inside staff taking census and answering questions, one outside rink guard

Maintenance: Flying staff comes to use an onsite zamboni

Ice a large circular skating trail, not suitable for hockey but unfenced, so available for moonlight skates

 

surrounded by tall towers, looking northwest

tall towers, looking southwest

Comments about this rink: e-mail us at [email protected].

2022 - 2023

Jan.25, 2023

danger/liability sign

too much snow coming down for skating

most prominent park sign is about rules

From Livia Ambros: There was lots of places to put on skates both inside and outside.

No sign about skate rentals and the one staff member told me that there will be no skate rentals at all here and only city hall has them

There were three or four people there but no one skating when I was there because there was too much snow on the ice

Dec.19, 2022

The rink is open now. A different zamboni driver said there was a leak in an unspecified pipe,and that the whole system had to be drained and then they had to start all over. They began with hose floods on Saturday and intended to use the zamboni today. There were lots of skate marks on the thin ice already. Lots of danger tape up too, with gaps in between. The change room was unattended but nice and warm. There was a bunch of sanitizer and an open first aid kit on one of the benches, plus a big covid sign.

the rink has started up again (Dec.17, 2022)

the change room was unattended but with covid material on a bench

Dec.14, 2022

A city zamboni driver said he heard that there's a problem with the new compressors at College Park. The cooling is done by CO2 instead of brine. He said they are waiting for new parts, hopefully to arrive any day.

Dec.9, 2022

Listed as closed because of "mechanical issues."

Rink diaries for earlier years

2021 - 2022

Nov.27, 2021

Opened for the season

2020 - 2021

COVID-RELATED RESTRICTIONS: To find out how to book a skating time, go to the city's outdoor rinks web page.
All shinny hockey has been removed except for Greenwood (and only children and youth are allowed there). The city's opening rules are described here and our rinks blog is here.

Views of the rink

Barbara Ann Scott Rink a rink in the round	rink on a Saturday night
Barbara Ann Scott, 1946.

From The City of Toronto Website 2014-15

For the skating schedule, go to Barbara Ann Scott Rink page on the City website, then click on Skating.

Notes

This rink is a hidden jewel!

It's a beautifully designed, sunken rink in the round just off Yonge Street, behind offices and shopping, with landscaping around it. One of the last rinks to be built during the tenure of visionary Parks Commissioner Herb Pirk, this rink was mothballed all winter in 2002 because of a minor problem in the cooling system. Nobody complained! Very few people use the rink despite its proximity to Ryerson University and some major hotels. It's an orphan, waiting for adoption.

Rink Diary

2022 - 2023

Jan.25, 2023

danger/liability sign

too much snow coming down for skating

most prominent park sign is about rules

From Livia Ambros: There was lots of places to put on skates both inside and outside.

No sign about skate rentals and the one staff member told me that there will be no skate rentals at all here and only city hall has them

There were three or four people there but no one skating when I was there because there was too much snow on the ice

Dec.19, 2022

The rink is open now. A different zamboni driver said there was a leak in an unspecified pipe,and that the whole system had to be drained and then they had to start all over. They began with hose floods on Saturday and intended to use the zamboni today. There were lots of skate marks on the thin ice already. Lots of danger tape up too, with gaps in between. The change room was unattended but nice and warm. There was a bunch of sanitizer and an open first aid kit on one of the benches, plus a big covid sign.

the rink has started up again (Dec.17, 2022)

the change room was unattended but with covid material on a bench

Dec.14, 2022

A city zamboni driver said he heard that there's a problem with the new compressors at College Park. The cooling is done by CO2 instead of brine. He said they are waiting for new parts, hopefully to arrive any day.

Dec.9, 2022

Listed as closed because of "mechanical issues."

Rink diaries for earlier years

2021 - 2022

Nov.27, 2021

Opened for the season

2020 - 2021

COVID-RELATED RESTRICTIONS: To find out how to book a skating time, go to the city's outdoor rinks web page.
All shinny hockey has been removed except for Greenwood (and only children and youth are allowed there). The city's opening rules are described here and our rinks blog is here.

See also: Editor's and rink users' blog

Diary 2011 - 2012 Diary 2010 - 2011, Diary 2009 - 2010, Diary 2008-2009, Diary 2007-2008, Diary 2006-2007, Diary 2005-2006, Diary 2004-2005, Diary 2003 - 2004