Sunday, March 3 is your last chance to skate the outdoor rink in downtown Penticton.

Activate Penticton Society announced that the rink will be closing for the season effective Sunday, March 3 at 9 p.m.

香蕉视频直播淎ctivate wishes to take this opportunity to thank our volunteers for their hundreds of hours of labour maintaining the rink and for continuing to make this dream a reality,香蕉视频直播� said Matt Hopkins of Activate Penticton. 香蕉视频直播淲e want to thank the volunteers who cleared the ice every morning and the Zamboni drivers.香蕉视频直播�

Activate also thanked the City of Penticton for their support.

The outdoor rink opened this season on Dec. 16, 2023.

The volunteer-run outdoor rink officially opened to the public Feb. 11, 2022 and the free skating facility has been a huge hit every since, drawing thousands to to skate the oval rink.

Hundreds of people in Penticton collectively worked thousands of hours and contributed $800,000 in donations to make the city香蕉视频直播檚 outdoor rink a reality.

The rink hosted the 2023 B.C. Hockey League (BCHL) 60th-anniversary all-star game in 2023, making it the first time all-star games were held outdoors. The rink hosted the All-Star games this January as well.

But the rink hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been without its challenges.

Again this year, Activate Penticton issued a warning they香蕉视频直播檇 shut the facility down if hockey players didn香蕉视频直播檛 get off the ice. The rink is meant to be a low barrier facility for skating only, no hockey.

On Dec. 20, 2023, Activate Penticton issued its 香蕉视频直播渇inal plea香蕉视频直播� reiterating that playing hockey at the rink is prohibited and that those who break the rules could force the facility to close.

Unfortunately, hockey continued on the ice into January, with Activate Penticton saying that they have been verbally abused by hockey players using the facility.

香蕉视频直播淲e will get together as a society soon and figure out how we are going to handle next year,香蕉视频直播� said Hopkins on Sunday. 香蕉视频直播淲e get it. There is such an interest in hockey at this facility but it香蕉视频直播檚 so hard for our tiny volunteer base to operate the rink and keep it safe for hockey.香蕉视频直播�

Hopkins went onto to say that Drew Barnes was the visionary for this rink and now thousands have been skating and enjoyed the magic of that location.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 an incredible facility that brings joy to people. Seeing all the smiles on people香蕉视频直播檚 faces when they are skating and seeing everyone so happy. We are proud of that,香蕉视频直播� he added.