The outdoor rink at Central Park is getting a new border and, perhaps, a roof.
Collingwood's manager of recreation facilities, Mel Milanovic confirmed via email on Friday the town is making some improvements to the outdoor rink.
The old boards, which Milanovic said were in poor condition, have been taken away and the concrete slab will be wrapped in a new set of dasher boards later this year. (Dasher boards are the bottom half of the boards in a hockey arena and don't include the plexiglass tops.)
Part of the work includes an X-ray of the concrete slab to locate the refrigeration pipes before ordering a new set of boards based on the Central Park outdoor rink dimensions.
Milanovic said staff are also doing some planning work for a roof to cover the outdoor rink, "which could come as early as 2025."
Most likely, continued Milanovic, the roof construction will happen further down the road.
"We know how important the facility is to our community and anything that can prolong the season and provide shelter all year long enhances the programmable space," he said in his email.
When not in use as an ice rink in the winter, the concrete surface is used for other sports such as ball hockey and pickleball.
