Photo: Michael Potestio

Fencing is now in place in Riverside Park outlining where a new outdoor rink will take shape by early 2026.

The City of Kamloops officially began work this week on an outdoor skating rink in Riverside Park, and the attraction should be ready for skaters early next year.

The project’s price tag is $7.16 million — about $1.8 million more than the $5.4 million city council approved in 2024.

Despite the cost increase, the city says a grant from the Province’s Growing Communities Fund will fully cover the bill.

Adam Gordon, City of Kamloops project delivery manager, said the reason for the cost increase was due primarily to electrical services and site amenity upgrades.

Gordon told Castanet Kamloops by email that while electrical service in the park was able to accommodate the skating facility, it didn’t provide much for future capacity, so the project took on costs to upgrade Riverside’s electrical service.

The final design of the rink also has more hard-surface space outside of the refrigerated slab for food trucks and other vendors, allowances for site furniture and a larger investment in lighting and audio equipment than initially planned.

Inflation also played a role in the cost increase, he said.

“Since the project was originally priced, we have observed market escalations to key commodities including concrete, steel and asphalt. This is independent of any potential increases due to tariffs,” Gordon said in his email.

There were also some design costs incurred in moving the proposed site, which was initially earmarked to be placed atop the new summer spray pad in the park.

The city, meanwhile, has budgeted $130,000 annually for operating costs of the rink.

Heavy machinery and fencing, which is set up around the area that will become the new rink, arrived at the site on March 10.

Detailed design and site regulatory approvals for the skating facility in Riverside Park were carried out last year. Urban Appeal Landscaping will start construction in the coming months, including electrical upgrades, shallow utilities, and excavation, a press release from the City of Kamloops stated.

“Construction is not expected to impact water park or playground use, and will have minimal disruption to green space and general park users,” the city’s release stated.

According to the city, the rink is intended for community, non-programmed drop-in skating, will be free to the public and open annually from December to March. The rink is not intended for hockey.

“The facility will support winter event hosting opportunities, such as winter festivals, live music, food vendors, seasonal celebrations, park enhancements, and decorations, and will include an opportunity for skate rentals,” the city said in a press release.

During the summer months, the unfrozen concrete pad will be available for staging food trucks and other recreational activities.