Robson Square Ice Rink Now GE Ice Plaza
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Posted in: cheap fun, cheap things to do, ice skating, olympics, poll, vancouver, vancouver2010
Tags: events, olympics, vancouver2010
“Before”
In 2006 I profiled the rink, which was in limbo — looking for sponsors and ways to reconstruct the skating surface without damaging the offices and classrooms that had come to surround it. In recent years it was a popular venue for dance classes as Vancouverites would meet to tango and salsa under Robson Street through Dance Sport BC.
With the return of the ice in an opening ceremony at 9:30am today, the rink will be open for a free public skate from 12:00pm until 9:00pm today. Regular hours will be:
Free Public Skating
Public Skate and Cafe: noon – 9 p.m.
School Groups, Coaching Clinics and Skills Training: 9 a.m. – noon
Extended Public Skate Hours from Dec 21 – Jan 1: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Hours Christmas Day (noon-5 p.m.), Boxing Day (9 a.m.-9 p.m.),
New Year’s Day (9 a.m.-9 p.m.)
Extended Public Skate Hours during the Winter Games
According to Metro News, General Electric spent $1.6 million in the past three years restoring the rink and the glass-domed GE Ice Plaza will be used as a central location for public celebration during the Vancouver Olympics. Skating will be free if you bring your own skates to wear but you can also rent for $3 (kids 12 and under can rent for free). Free skating will continue to be open to the public as of today and running through the 2010 Olympic Games.
Loading ...Update: I stopped by today to take some photos. There were plenty of lunchtime skaters as well as live entertainment from a brass band.
Update: To answer some questions, they have helmets available to rent as well as plastic carts to push around on the ice, assisting young ones and those who cannot skate very well.
Update: You can cross OVER the ice rink on the FREE Olympic Zipline, read more here.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Is it any bigger than the old rink? I once heard it described as a “postage stamp” of a rink, but I thought it wasn’t too bad. But I hope this one is a bit larger.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
From what I saw a few weeks ago it’s exactly the same surface area but just with glass railings. Will update later today
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:59 am
Same size, Carla.. was there watching work get completed last week.
Maybe good enough for a little 2on2 hockey, though.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
BTW, it’s only a little smaller than (2/3 the size of) the rink at Rockefeller Centre, which is GE’s world headquarters in New York City.
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Although it is not in downtown Vancouver, there will also be an outdoor rink at the O Zone (an Olympic Celebration Site) in Richmond, which will also be free, during the 2010 Olympics. Skate rentals will also be available there, if you don’t have your own. For more info on other activities being held at the O Zone, check out this link.
http://activiwiki.com/911/canada
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I can’t wait to try out the new rink. Do they have those metal bars available? I am not that stable on ice skates! LOL
I think it is a great thing for Vancouver!
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Thanks for the heads up! Outdoor skating plus a Gingerbread White Chocolate Mocha Half Sweet from Starbucks…how much more christmasy could it get lol
November 24th, 2009 at 6:26 am
This is all well and good, but I could have done without the GE logo being embalzoned on the rink. Hopefully like Science World, I mean TELUS World of Science, nobody will call it by the new, corporate-greed driven name.
This isn’t what we’re about… well we didn’t use to, I guess getting the Olympics means we had to give in to corportate evils. If GE paid for a 1/3 and the provincial government (i.e. the people) paid for 2/3 then why not call it the People’s Ice Rink? I’m sure GE won’t mind since they’re not doing this merely to get exposure during the Olympics… oh wait, that’s exactly the only reason.
November 24th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Also – BC, You Gotta Be Here is the worst slogan I’ve ever heard!
I thought The Place on Earth was crap (as if anyone could definitevly claim that), but this one is just like wow – I’m speechless. We’re a province, not a company trying to sell pizza pocket to teenagers. Come up with something better Gordo.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:19 am
The ice surface is bigger, what you don’t see is the cooling system that makes the ice. This new system will allow the ice to be there from late Nov to March for years to come. The rink was not made for hockey, it is meant for public skating. I’m proud to have been the Superintendent from LEDCOR in charge of this project. Robson Square will be seen and enjoyed by millions of people for years to come. With our warmer damp climate, to be able to skate outdoors in the lower mainland 4 months of the year is great, Congratulations Vancouver.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Does anybody know of the opening hours? I don’t see a link for the ice rink itself here. Would love to give it a try, though I’d have to rent skates (haven’t owned skates since I was a teenager!)
November 24th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Hopefully they allow this rink to be used for hockey!
November 24th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
The rink is open between 9 am and 9 pm. The ceiling is quit low, so I don’tknow if hockey will be allowed.
November 25th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Yup, I’ll be there for sure!
November 27th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Exciting!I want to take my girl this weekend.As for me? I don’t know how to skate…should be good for some laughs..
November 30th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
I was there today and saw some hockey nets — which was odd. I don’t think this would be a good place to play with a real puck (boards are too low, and it’s really small), but maybe with a light rubber puck like they do at Britannia for the kid’s cosom hockey on ice?
December 1st, 2009 at 1:28 am
The rink is open for public skating 12:00-9:00pm 7 days a week from now until March 21st. The hockey nets are for the little kids to play hockey on Saturday mornings with foam pucks/whiffle balls. We have ice scooters for those who need a bit of help as well as ice cleats for parents wanting to go on the ice with their kids without having to skate. Wheelchairs and strollers are also allowed. Fun for everyone, come and skate!
December 8th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Great little rink,great for Robson Square,who would of thought,imagine an outdoor rink in lotus land on the wet coast…………….love it.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
So, tons of comments and many people surveyed on the outdoor rink. How many folks have since visited the rink? More importantly, what do you think? I will tell you that it is definitely good for some laughs! http://bit.ly/712qcm.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
[...] afternoon I headed over to GE Plaza (at Robson Square) for an interview with a news agency. While the reporter and I were standing next [...]
December 16th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Me and a group of friends went during the first week it was open. It was chaotic. There were so many people and the staff didn’t seem very organized. That comes with new venues though.
They were out of women’s skates sizes 6-8, so us ladies had to make do with men’s skates in sizes way too big. Not a single one of the eleven of us had skates sharp enough to actually skate. There was a lot of shuffling. Can’t really complain though, they’re only $3 rentals.
We still had a blast, cause skating’s pretty much always fun. I would advise going at non peak hours. If there were skates in our sizes, and fewer people (a lot of them were also drunk and all over the place)it would’ve been even better. I’m sure to give it another try in the future and hopefully they’ll have worked out the kinks.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Without the GE logo the icerink would have remained closed as it had been for years. 1.6 million would have been a hard pill to swallow for taxpayers. What was a left for dead square in the heart of our city is now alive a very much vibrant. I am neither pro or con Corp sponsorship but feel in this instance the people of Vancouver are on the winning end of this sponsorship.
December 20th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Where can you park around there for free or cheaply?
December 21st, 2009 at 7:08 am
Does anyone know whether the icerink will be opened on Christmas day?
Thanks!
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I can’t skate at all, but my boyfriend played hockey for many years. I’m thinking this would be a fun Christmas-y thing to do this year since there isn’t going to be any snow.
Swing by the Four Seasons to check out the trees afterward…a cheery family outing that’s almost free. Sounds like fun!
December 24th, 2009 at 12:32 am
I can’t wait to try the ice. I had just heard that it was reopened. I hope that it’s opened christmas day as i’d love to start a family tradition of skating at this rink on Christmas Day. Anyone know how to find out if it will be open?
I am so glad they re-opened it. It’s such a magical area of the city…. Have you felt it?
December 24th, 2009 at 8:58 am
[...] GE Plaza Ice Skating – Skating at Robson Square is open from 12:00pm – 9:00pm daily. During the holidays, they’ll be open Christmas Day (12:00pm – 5:00 pm), Boxing Day (9:00am – 9:00pm), and New Year’s Day (9:00am – 9:00pm). [...]
December 24th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
My pair of skaters need sharpening. Anybody knows if there is sharpening service there? How much does it cost?
January 6th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
I went to the Robson Square ice rink last night, and the atmosphere could not be beat, most beautiful rink Ive ever been at. Its a little small for the amount of people that go, but was otherwise ok if you just want to cruise along and not be able to stride when skating.
One HUGE problem I had which made me leave as well as many others, was when they cleaned the ice. It took 45MINS for them to clean the ice! Ive skated almost every week of my life, and have sat through alot of ice cleaning times but this was ridiculous! they literally wait for the water on the ice to dry, I could not believe it. For 45mins the boards were lined with people peeking over the glass, watching water dry. Ive never in my life experienced this before, if its a safety concern as it is slippery to skate on then when its dry, then dont go on the ice, those that have skated at an actual rink before would be used to it and I even prefer it.
If you go to this rink, make sure you have alot of extra time incase your there when they clean it. Also seemed really trying on those little ones just itching to get on the ice, and cant, might not be the best place to bring the kids unless you bring them something to keep occupied with as it could be a while.
January 7th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Is it still open or does it have a day when it all ends? Its January 07th and I was going to go but don’t know if it’s still open.
January 7th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
@ Alex – it’s definitely open throughout the Olympics and beyond – as far as I know it’s a new permanent wintertime venue.
January 15th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
They have been having Ice temperature problems lately so the hours are not always right! I am looking for a # to call to find out …..
January 26th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I have also been searching madly for a number, any help would be appreciated. planning on having a b-day party there on saturday….
February 3rd, 2010 at 8:47 pm
[...] Robson Square Ice Rink in the opposite direction of the stairs. This will probably be a stopping point more than a few [...]
February 5th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
[...] quite note about this exciting public event with Katarina Witt and Elizabeth Manley taking place at GE Ice Plaza this Sunday at [...]