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

Rink diary 2022

Jan.11, 2022: Rink is open

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Rink diaries from earlier years:

Rink diary 2021

Jan.31, 2021

Posting on the FB Ice Masters page:

No exceptions.
This is a city rule.
City rinks have paid employees to enforce this rule. We do not, and as volunteers we are not willing to have somebody at the rink 24/7 to enforce this rule.
We have multiple signs up advising “no hockey” on both rinks.
We know there are parents who just want to pass the puck with their kids, and we know that, alone on the rink, this should be safe. However, it’s not up to us to allow exceptions.
We ask everybody not to play hockey.
If you have kids who want to play hockey on the rinks, please tell them they cannot. It is not fair or enjoyable for us volunteers to be telling other people’s kids to not play hockey!

A comment on the Ice masters FB page: "Seriously, don’t put the rest of us parents in the position of pretending we don’t see the hockey sticks and nets. I know our community of kids are missing their sports (as am I) but we all need to follow the rules. What a shame it would be for our volunteers who made these rinks and the many other members of our community who skate there if it were shut down."

Rink diary, 2020

Jan.20, 2020

From Barry Ross: We got a trailer load of snow from Ted Reeve arena last Thursday to seam the outside of the boards before flooding commenced/ so water doesn’t seep out. It worked but a couple days later we got the big storm. Timing isn’t always perfect!!

From Adam Elliott: It has been a tough start to the season with very few consecutive days below zero. Saturday’s snow storm added to the challenges. Despite the delays, we’ve now had 3 days to rebuild the ice, and we’re making progress on both rinks. Sun and slightly warmer temps should even out the bumps over the next couple of days.

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Rink diary 2018

Jan.30, 2018

The Ice Masters have posted notice of their yearly Winterfest: Yes it is that time again! The Fairmount Park Ice Masters invite you to come and enjoy an afternoon of fun and traditional outdoor winter activities. This year's WINTERFEST will feature food, drinks, music (multiple live acts), sledding, a 50/50 draw and of course the rinks!

Other surprises are in the works so don't miss it!

January 11, 2018, announcement:

January 2018, photos from the Fairmount Facebook page:

From the photographer: "For-the-Record, this Photo [at right] is NOT "out-of-focus"...my hands were just shaking too much to keep the Camera steady...Brrrrrrr..!"

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Rink diary 2017

no visits

Rink diary 2016

January 23, 2016

The boards were put up by Dec.19, ice was started January 5, lost by January 9, then restarted January 11. The rink opened on January 19.

Their annual "Winterfest" is scheduled for Feb.6.

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Rink diary 2015

From City Councillor McMahon's newsletter, January 30 2015

Winterfest 2015 at Fairmount Park

The ice is in and at 9.30 a bunch of hockey player had just come off and the watering crew was beginning. They said that their annual winter festival will be held on Feb.7. The hockey boards look great. One of the skaters said that Home Depot ad donated a bunch of plywood.

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Rink Diary 2013

Jan.22 2013 Warner Clarke post in Fairmount Park Ice Masters Facebook page

The hoses were frozen in the lock-up this morning. It looks like the strategy of hanging the hoses up over the pipe just enabled any water that was in the hose to freeze into a block at the lowest point of the hose. We draped the hoses we used this am over the heater, hoping that they will keep from freezing in that way.

I will take the braces down during the day today in preparation for this evening's flood.

We have a lot of folks from the regular Tuesday night crew coming out at 10 this evening, but we could use 1 or 2 more folks for 7:00 pm.

Jan.23 2013 Warner Clarke post in Fairmount Park Ice Masters Facebook page

Rinks are shaping up nicely - we had some skaters on the rink Tuesday evening.

Two things: 1. Rod has taken some of the hoses into the community centre to thaw. They should come back into the lock up by Wednesday evening.

2. The key for the shed and lock up will now also unlock the hockey nets. The nets should continue to be locked up overnight.

Jan.25 From the Fairmount Park FB page

The ice is beautiful! I was out enjoying the fruit of some hard labour last night with the kids, and we were joined by a few other skaters.

The pleasure rink is really nice all around as usual, and the (almost) NHL size hockey rink is also quite nice, with only a few bumps approaching the north boards.

The hockey nets are quite heavy to carry with just one person... so we locked them up to the picnic table rather than the fence near the shed.

Looking forward to more skating this weekend!

January 28, 2013, Facebook message from Warner Camps

Ladies & Gentelmen – This Saturday is the Fairmount Park Winterfest. Perhaps you’re thinking that Mother Nature is delivering another of her cruel jokes, with rising temperatures and rain. But friends, Mother Nature and the Ice Masters have an understanding. What appears to others to be impending disaster is just another Ice Master miracle in the making, the likes of which will inspire folk songs for generations to come. Years from now, as the children pass in front of McCarthy’s they will say, “Maeve, please tell us again about the year that Winterfest almost didn’t come! Please!” “Oh all right, children. Tut tut…”

The rain and misery are forecasted to peak on Wednesday. And then just when all hope seems to be lost, the magic will begin and temperatures will plummet. The rinks that had turned to soup with freeze into perfect sheets of glass. Crew after determined crew of Ice Masters will work tirelessly through the nights on Thursday and Friday so that children will wake on Saturday morning to see a groomed sledding hill painting a white path to two ice rinks with a sparkle that would make Daniel Swarovski weep.

So, YES, Winterfest is coming. How can you get involved? Many of you have already been conscripted to help with the snow collection for the sled hill (no, not kidding), hot dog cooking, shinny playing, raffle prize collection, Smartie counting, music making, etc. but many hands make light work so if you’re interested, please get in touch with one of the leaders below.

We also need help getting the word out. Bowmore is including a promo in their email blast to parents, and Ray is getting a sign for Gerrard. Beyond that we need an army of volunteers to print and post these flyers (attached) around the neighbourhood. Storefronts, hydro poles, stray dogs...

Thanks to all of you for helping to make this a great event for the community. See you Saturday!

David (Winterfest Coordinator) Camps

Responsibility

Name MC

Ray Bernard Community Centre Liaison, Park signage, Skate swap, Pot o’chili,

David Camps Poster design, printing, distribution, Fire Dept / Police Liaison, Garbage

Steve D’Souza Food, drink, plates, cups, napkins etc – purchasing, Food prep,

Barry Ross Wood stove, hot chocolate, cider

Petri Steppanoff Site management, raffle tickets, food ticket sales

Warner Clarke Music, Main Stage

Rod Smith Ice management – hockey, skills etc., Donations

Josh Weisz M&M jar game

Mark Doty Face painting

Jan.25 From the Fairmount Park FB page (Warner Clarke)

O.K. Winterfest sign is up - ice is still mostly covering the grass in both rinks - temperature dropping Thursday and the ongoing forecast is below freezing - this may work

February 9 2013, Facebook posting from Mark Richardson

8 AM - Saturday - Shovel-Out Part 2

Barry blew a pin on the Snow-Blower tonight.

Pleasure-Rink is clear (we had skaters) - and Hockey-Rink is 1/3rd clear.

Plan is to clear the rest of the Hockey-Rink at 8 AM Saturday.

Bring shovels. Thx!

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The Star, Feb.22 2013: Local Legends

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March 8th- From the Fairmount Park FB page (Warner Clarke)

Ball hockey season seems to have commenced... Warner Clarke 11:59am Mar 8 Ball hockey season seems to have commenced over in the tennis courts signalling the end of ice hockey season on the rinks. Lake Fairmount is forming again and should be quite big after Sundays forecasted rain.

Views

Rink Diary 2013

Jan.22 2013 Warner Clarke post in Fairmount Park Ice Masters Facebook page

The hoses were frozen in the lock-up this morning. It looks like the strategy of hanging the hoses up over the pipe just enabled any water that was in the hose to freeze into a block at the lowest point of the hose. We draped the hoses we used this am over the heater, hoping that they will keep from freezing in that way.

I will take the braces down during the day today in preparation for this evening's flood.

We have a lot of folks from the regular Tuesday night crew coming out at 10 this evening, but we could use 1 or 2 more folks for 7:00 pm.

Jan.23 2013 Warner Clarke post in Fairmount Park Ice Masters Facebook page

Rinks are shaping up nicely - we had some skaters on the rink Tuesday evening.

Two things: 1. Rod has taken some of the hoses into the community centre to thaw. They should come back into the lock up by Wednesday evening.

2. The key for the shed and lock up will now also unlock the hockey nets. The nets should continue to be locked up overnight.

Jan.25 From the Fairmount Park FB page

The ice is beautiful! I was out enjoying the fruit of some hard labour last night with the kids, and we were joined by a few other skaters.

The pleasure rink is really nice all around as usual, and the (almost) NHL size hockey rink is also quite nice, with only a few bumps approaching the north boards.

The hockey nets are quite heavy to carry with just one person... so we locked them up to the picnic table rather than the fence near the shed.

Looking forward to more skating this weekend!

January 28, 2013, Facebook message from Warner Camps

Ladies & Gentelmen – This Saturday is the Fairmount Park Winterfest. Perhaps you’re thinking that Mother Nature is delivering another of her cruel jokes, with rising temperatures and rain. But friends, Mother Nature and the Ice Masters have an understanding. What appears to others to be impending disaster is just another Ice Master miracle in the making, the likes of which will inspire folk songs for generations to come. Years from now, as the children pass in front of McCarthy’s they will say, “Maeve, please tell us again about the year that Winterfest almost didn’t come! Please!” “Oh all right, children. Tut tut…”

The rain and misery are forecasted to peak on Wednesday. And then just when all hope seems to be lost, the magic will begin and temperatures will plummet. The rinks that had turned to soup with freeze into perfect sheets of glass. Crew after determined crew of Ice Masters will work tirelessly through the nights on Thursday and Friday so that children will wake on Saturday morning to see a groomed sledding hill painting a white path to two ice rinks with a sparkle that would make Daniel Swarovski weep.

So, YES, Winterfest is coming. How can you get involved? Many of you have already been conscripted to help with the snow collection for the sled hill (no, not kidding), hot dog cooking, shinny playing, raffle prize collection, Smartie counting, music making, etc. but many hands make light work so if you’re interested, please get in touch with one of the leaders below.

We also need help getting the word out. Bowmore is including a promo in their email blast to parents, and Ray is getting a sign for Gerrard. Beyond that we need an army of volunteers to print and post these flyers (attached) around the neighbourhood. Storefronts, hydro poles, stray dogs...

Thanks to all of you for helping to make this a great event for the community. See you Saturday!

David (Winterfest Coordinator) Camps

Responsibility

Name MC

Ray Bernard Community Centre Liaison, Park signage, Skate swap, Pot o’chili,

David Camps Poster design, printing, distribution, Fire Dept / Police Liaison, Garbage

Steve D’Souza Food, drink, plates, cups, napkins etc – purchasing, Food prep,

Barry Ross Wood stove, hot chocolate, cider

Petri Steppanoff Site management, raffle tickets, food ticket sales

Warner Clarke Music, Main Stage

Rod Smith Ice management – hockey, skills etc., Donations

Josh Weisz M&M jar game

Mark Doty Face painting

Jan.25 From the Fairmount Park FB page (Warner Clarke)

O.K. Winterfest sign is up - ice is still mostly covering the grass in both rinks - temperature dropping Thursday and the ongoing forecast is below freezing - this may work

February 9 2013, Facebook posting from Mark Richardson

8 AM - Saturday - Shovel-Out Part 2

Barry blew a pin on the Snow-Blower tonight.

Pleasure-Rink is clear (we had skaters) - and Hockey-Rink is 1/3rd clear.

Plan is to clear the rest of the Hockey-Rink at 8 AM Saturday.

Bring shovels. Thx!

---

The Star, Feb.22 2013: Local Legends

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March 8th- From the Fairmount Park FB page (Warner Clarke)

Ball hockey season seems to have commenced... Warner Clarke 11:59am Mar 8 Ball hockey season seems to have commenced over in the tennis courts signalling the end of ice hockey season on the rinks. Lake Fairmount is forming again and should be quite big after Sundays forecasted rain.