VIDEO: First outdoor ice rinks in the GTA open for the season in Brampton

You can get into the festive spirit and stay active this winter as Brampton is again the first city in the Greater Toronto Area to open outdoor ice rinks for the winter season.

For the second year in a row, Brampton is the first city in both Peel Region and the GTA with active outdoor skating rinks when the Gore Meadows Covered Outdoor Skating Rink opened for the season on Monday.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown shared his excitement about the opening in a video posted on social media, skating and playing shinny hockey at the Gore Meadows rink along with Coun. Gurpartap Singh Toor.

“Right now we’re adding two additional outdoor artificial ice rinks each year,” Brown said. “We want to make sure every neighbourhood in our city has access to skating in the winter.”

The Gore Meadows Outdoor Rink is open now from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays through Saturday, closing at 8 p.m. on Sundays. There are dedicated time slots for youth and adult shinny, shoot-around hockey practice for kids, learn to skate classes, and free skates.

And there are even more rinks opening this month starting with the Chinguacousy Park Skating Recreational Trail, the Gage Park Outdoor Skating Recreational Trail and Mount Pleasant Outdoor Skating Rink set to welcome skaters starting on Saturday, weather permitting.

Brown says the Gage Park trail will reopen “better than ever for the winter season” following a temporary closure to accommodate renovations to increase functionality. The park now features enhanced mechanical equipment and a new ice pad to ensure the skating trail is in optimal condition for future seasons.

The 2024-2025 winter skating season will also see enhancements to the rink at Sesquicentennial Park, and new dedicated outdoor shinny hockey rinks at Major William Sharpe Park and Amore Italian Park.

Excited for #Brampton to be the first city in the GTA to open our outdoor rinks and skating trails. This season brings exciting new enhancements to the rink at Sesquicentennial Park, new dedicated outdoor shinny hockey and rinks at Major William Sharpe Park and Amore Italian… pic.twitter.com/2JI3viIjkY

— Patrick Brown (@patrickbrownont) November 19, 2024

With the festive season approaching, the city has put out a Winter Amenities Map where you can track light displays, open rinks, community events and more.

The digital tool showcases the city’s array of winter offerings, allowing users to quickly locate and plan visits to enjoy Brampton’s seasonal highlights.

For more information on Brampton’s ice rink facilities or the Winter Amenities Map click here.