Rink change area: Recently renovated, to make it bigger and provide access to the staff. Rubber floor. MLSE logo and Maple Leaf colours everywhere, even the Parks-owned benches were repainted in Maple Leafs blue.

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

Rink Diary

2016 - 2017

Dec.9, 2017

This is the only central Toronto rink listed as closed this morning.

Dec.7 2016

Yesterday and today Ramsden Rink is listed as open "hockey side only."

Nov.29, 2016

This rink is listed as open for the first time today.

Nov.27 2016

At 11 a.m. the rink gates were open but it was not ready for skating. A friendly and courteous rink attendant explained to people inquiring, that the rink still needs one more day for floods but can probably open tomorrow.

The rink shows the evidence of not much water put on yet -- pebbly with a big space between the boards and the ice.

Nov.26, 2016

This rink never opened today, although on the schedule it was supposed to open.

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Rink diaries from earlier years

2015 - 2016

March 12, 2016

This rink was scheduled to stay open until March 20, but was finally listed as closed for the season on March 12.

Jan.1, 2016

On the city's website schedule, Ramsden was blank for New Year's Day. That would ordinarily have meant the rink was closed completely, but it was open. There were lots of skaters and the change room building was open and full of people as well. Jimmie, the zamboni driver, said that they opened at 9 and started right off with a neighbourhood shinny game. Long-time rink advocate Gar Mahood was one of the players.

Dec.29, 2015

All the city's outdoor rinks were closed today until later afternoon, because of the heavy, extremely wet snow. Ramsden was among the first bunch to re-open, around 5 pm.

Dec.27, 2015

This rink was marked as closed, on the city's website, on Christmas Day -- for the first time in years, since there has been a long tradition of a Christmas morning shinny game. The ice was most likely fine. Was it really closed? It was marked as open again on Boxing Day.

Nov.28, 2015

The rink was open with skaters on both sides. The operator, Rob, said that because of his work schedule they hadn't been able to start ice-making until Wednesday, but then they went over the rink every hour (but no night floods). There was still snow on the slab from before,and they were able to use that snow to build up the volume. They started with cold water for the first day and then went to hot water floods with the zamboni.

Rob said that he and his partner Jimmy have got their routine down to a science, and that he has had four letters from mayors, commending his work.

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2014 - 2015

March 12, 2015

Even though the temperature never got above 2 degrees today, there was full March sun, and the pleasure-skating side looked bad. At the time of our visit, the zamboni was grooming the hockey side, which looked pretty good although the zamboni made a crunching sound on the ice as it went around. There were very few people at the rink -- five skaters on the pleasure-skating side, two people inside, perhaps waiting for the hockey side to open.

Jan.1 2015 (New Year's Day)

At noon, the rink had plenty of skaters and the building was open. Staffing was a zamboni driver and a building attendant -- the driver, to maintain the ice, the building attendant to help keep the building open, so that skaters could change inside (it was a very cold wind) and store their equipment, and have washroom access as well. Their holiday hours for the building were 9 am to 6 pm. Meantime, most other downtown rinks had the change rooms/ washrooms locked. Why?

Dec.26 2014 (Boxing Day)

The rink was open (not only the ice but the building too), as advertised on the city's website. Lots of skaters, plus the zamboni driver and one rink guard. Lively shinny hockey game -- every single skater was wearing a helmet -- very unusual at center-city outdoor rinks.

Nov.25, 2014

At 7 pm the ice looks terrific. Ramsden is one of the rinks that kept its ice despite the warm day on Nov.24.

Nov.21 2014

Ramsden's opening day has been moved up to Nov.22, even though the individual schedule on the city's website doesn't start until Nov.29. The ice looks good, and ready to start.

2013-2014

March 1, 2014

Good ice. Change room open. Some dads inside, talking stocks and hockey.

December 3, 2013 - comments from rink user CA

I have no idea if this will be useful to you, but I just thought I would send some comments on Ramsden which I went to last night for the 5:30-8:15pm 19+ shinny...at least the 45 minutes of it I lasted for.

The ice condition was good, more than thick enough for a game. It was busy but well organized so quick changes and a fast pace even with 4 on the bench, although only briefly. Staff were incredibly friendly, helmets are mandatory, and they were able to lend me one (even said "no, thank you for wearing a helmet" after I had thanked them). They even treated a guy who was cut by an errant stick. Anyhow, A+ experience.

Rink Diary 2012-2013

See also: Editor's and Rink Users' blog

Ramsden Rink - Thursday December 6, 2012, sent by Will Lam

7pm-8:45pm Adult Shinny was quite crowded. Almost overwhelming numbers. It was 5-on-5 hockey and the benches could scarcely hold all the players waiting for their next change of shift. Still, the firm one puck rule is impressive as compared with Dufferin where multiple pucks and people playing in different corners of the rink -- and nearly running into each other -- is common.

A recently maintained surface was chewed up quite quickly with the amount of hard skating and the number of players. The ice maintenance is quite regular and frequent at this rink.

Views of the rink

From The City of Toronto Website 2014-15

For the skating schedule, go to Ramsden, then click on drop-in programs then click on Skating.

shinny hockey only

Rink Diary

2016 - 2017

Dec.9, 2017

This is the only central Toronto rink listed as closed this morning.

Dec.7 2016

Yesterday and today Ramsden Rink is listed as open "hockey side only."

Nov.29, 2016

This rink is listed as open for the first time today.

Nov.27 2016

At 11 a.m. the rink gates were open but it was not ready for skating. A friendly and courteous rink attendant explained to people inquiring, that the rink still needs one more day for floods but can probably open tomorrow.

The rink shows the evidence of not much water put on yet -- pebbly with a big space between the boards and the ice.

Nov.26, 2016

This rink never opened today, although on the schedule it was supposed to open.

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Rink diaries from earlier years

2015 - 2016

March 12, 2016

This rink was scheduled to stay open until March 20, but was finally listed as closed for the season on March 12.

Jan.1, 2016

On the city's website schedule, Ramsden was blank for New Year's Day. That would ordinarily have meant the rink was closed completely, but it was open. There were lots of skaters and the change room building was open and full of people as well. Jimmie, the zamboni driver, said that they opened at 9 and started right off with a neighbourhood shinny game. Long-time rink advocate Gar Mahood was one of the players.

Dec.29, 2015

All the city's outdoor rinks were closed today until later afternoon, because of the heavy, extremely wet snow. Ramsden was among the first bunch to re-open, around 5 pm.

Dec.27, 2015

This rink was marked as closed, on the city's website, on Christmas Day -- for the first time in years, since there has been a long tradition of a Christmas morning shinny game. The ice was most likely fine. Was it really closed? It was marked as open again on Boxing Day.

Nov.28, 2015

The rink was open with skaters on both sides. The operator, Rob, said that because of his work schedule they hadn't been able to start ice-making until Wednesday, but then they went over the rink every hour (but no night floods). There was still snow on the slab from before,and they were able to use that snow to build up the volume. They started with cold water for the first day and then went to hot water floods with the zamboni.

Rob said that he and his partner Jimmy have got their routine down to a science, and that he has had four letters from mayors, commending his work.

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2014 - 2015

March 12, 2015

Even though the temperature never got above 2 degrees today, there was full March sun, and the pleasure-skating side looked bad. At the time of our visit, the zamboni was grooming the hockey side, which looked pretty good although the zamboni made a crunching sound on the ice as it went around. There were very few people at the rink -- five skaters on the pleasure-skating side, two people inside, perhaps waiting for the hockey side to open.

Jan.1 2015 (New Year's Day)

At noon, the rink had plenty of skaters and the building was open. Staffing was a zamboni driver and a building attendant -- the driver, to maintain the ice, the building attendant to help keep the building open, so that skaters could change inside (it was a very cold wind) and store their equipment, and have washroom access as well. Their holiday hours for the building were 9 am to 6 pm. Meantime, most other downtown rinks had the change rooms/ washrooms locked. Why?

Dec.26 2014 (Boxing Day)

The rink was open (not only the ice but the building too), as advertised on the city's website. Lots of skaters, plus the zamboni driver and one rink guard. Lively shinny hockey game -- every single skater was wearing a helmet -- very unusual at center-city outdoor rinks.

Nov.25, 2014

At 7 pm the ice looks terrific. Ramsden is one of the rinks that kept its ice despite the warm day on Nov.24.

Nov.21 2014

Ramsden's opening day has been moved up to Nov.22, even though the individual schedule on the city's website doesn't start until Nov.29. The ice looks good, and ready to start.

2013-2014

March 1, 2014

Good ice. Change room open. Some dads inside, talking stocks and hockey.

December 3, 2013 - comments from rink user CA

I have no idea if this will be useful to you, but I just thought I would send some comments on Ramsden which I went to last night for the 5:30-8:15pm 19+ shinny...at least the 45 minutes of it I lasted for.

The ice condition was good, more than thick enough for a game. It was busy but well organized so quick changes and a fast pace even with 4 on the bench, although only briefly. Staff were incredibly friendly, helmets are mandatory, and they were able to lend me one (even said "no, thank you for wearing a helmet" after I had thanked them). They even treated a guy who was cut by an errant stick. Anyhow, A+ experience.

Rink Diary 2012-2013

See also: Editor's and Rink Users' blog

Ramsden Rink - Thursday December 6, 2012, sent by Will Lam

7pm-8:45pm Adult Shinny was quite crowded. Almost overwhelming numbers. It was 5-on-5 hockey and the benches could scarcely hold all the players waiting for their next change of shift. Still, the firm one puck rule is impressive as compared with Dufferin where multiple pucks and people playing in different corners of the rink -- and nearly running into each other -- is common.

A recently maintained surface was chewed up quite quickly with the amount of hard skating and the number of players. The ice maintenance is quite regular and frequent at this rink.

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