The City of Markham is expanding opportunities for outdoor activity and recreation this winter with the addition of five new outdoor public skating rinks, and by expanding its Pathway Maintenance Program from 8 to 95 pathways.
Residents will be able to enjoy outdoor skating at five new unrefrigerated ice rinks at Huntington Park, Victoria Square Park, Milliken Mills Park, Markham Museum, and Milne Dam Park. The City will construct and maintain these rinks which will be made available pending weather conditions. A flag system at each location will signal when the ice is safe to use. Onsite parking is available at all locations.
Together with the Markham Civic Centre outdoor refrigerated ice rink, these locations will provide easier access to residents in all parts of Markham, and offer safer and professionally maintained skating experiences.
A friendly reminder to stay off Markham’s ponds, stormwater ponds and waterways as the ice is unsafe and not maintained for recreation purposes. Ponds may contain salt from nearby roads and other debris, which can speed up thawing. Ice may appear thick, but it is unpredictable and some areas may have little to no ice. Stay safe and stay off natural ice.
Following the successful Pathway Winter Maintenance Pilot Project in 2020, the City of Markham is expandimg the program from 8 to 95 city asphalt or concrete pathways, for a total of 29.5 kilometers.
These pathways will be cleared within 24 to 48 hours following the end of a Winter event where snow accumulation exceed 5 centimetres. For a list of pathways that are included in this program visit markham.ca/winter.
Markham is proud to deliver winter maintenance services that meet and in many areas exceed provincial legislative service standards.
“The City of Markham is ready to tackle the elements with our robust winter operations, while also providing new and enhanced leisure offerings for the community to enjoy,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “Coming off the success of last Winter’s Pathway Winter Maintenance program, we are delighted to announce that the program will grow from eight pathways to 95 pathways across the City of Markham. There is no more Canadian winter activity than skating and we will be constructing and maintaining five new outdoor rinks to provide residents a safe and accessible leisure option.”
For more information, visit markham.ca/skating.
