Stay off town’s outdoor rinks, Stratford tells P.E.I. skaters they’re ‘essentially 3 bathtubs’ [Video]

Town officials in Stratford, P.E.I., are asking skaters to stay off its three outdoor municipal rinks for now. 

Despite some cold spells over Christmas, the temperatures have been too warm to make ice on the outdoor rinks, and officials aren’t sure when they will be ready. 

“We have essentially three bathtubs right now within our community,” said Jeremy Pierce, Stratford’s director of recreation, culture and events, referring to the rinks consisting of a plastic liner surrounded by boards, then flooded. 

Someone recently skated on one of the rinks and damaged the plastic liner, which caused the water to drain out. Workers had to find the hole and patch it before refilling the rink.

Usually, Stratford aims to have its ice surfaces open around Christmas and keep them open until early March. But in recent years, the start of skating season has usually been delayed until early January. 

Losing recreational opportunities

The town said …