Kelowna

Get your ice skates ready - Kelowna's only public outdoor skating rink is scheduled to open next month.

The rink constructed at the new Stuart Park across from City Hall is expected to open in early December.

Park and Public Space Projects Manager, Andrew Gibbs, says they are scheduled to put the ice in during the first week of December with an opening date sometime around December 10.

It takes about a week to make the ice.

The forecast through much of next week calls for sub-zero temperatures, however, Gibbs says things aren't quite ready yet.

"This week we put the header boards in and we still have some mechanical and electrical work to do inside the Zamboni building. That won't be ready in time to make the ice next week," says Gibbs.

He says the plan all along was for the rink to have ice during the months of December and January and possibly longer if both weather and budget allow.

"Weather dependent and money dependent. Have to pay somebody to drive the Zamboni and stuff like that. There is an operating cost to it."

Gibbs says creating and maintaining outdoor ice is always weather dependent.

He says temperatures don't have to be at or below freezing, however, there is a threshold.

"Worst case is probably five above, but not for a long time. If we have a day that's five above it won't be a problem but it we get multiple days of five above it would be a problem."

You're reminded that the outdoor rink is a skating rink only.

Because the rink is not regulation size and there are no boards, hockey is prohibited.