FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince George, B.C – The City of Prince George is excited to launch new and revised skating programs for the 2025/26 season, thanks to feedback received from residents earlier this year. The results of the online engagement helped shape a new request for proposal, which was awarded to YMCA BC this summer.
Starting in November, the YMCA will operate two new programs for the City: parent and tot skate at Kin II and stick and puck at Kopar Memorial Arena. These programs will run in addition to regular public skating and drop-in hockey. City staff are running drop-in hockey and public skating through October until the YMCA contract takes effect.
“We are thrilled to offer new programs at our arenas thanks to feedback from the community,” said events manager Debbie Heywood, “we hope everyone can try something new this season with the extra ice time we’ve allotted for affordable public skating programs.”
Survey results
From March 20 to April 17, the City hosted an online survey to understand how residents felt about skating programs and how they could be improved. 251 people took the survey.
More than 70% of participants said they didn’t think there were enough public skating sessions offered throughout the week, and public skating was ranked as the highest priority program for respondents. In response, the City added an additional session on Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Elksentre (starting in November) and extended the three existing public skating times to two hours.
Of those that said they had attended drop-in hockey in the past, the majority said they didn’t think there were enough sessions offered throughout the week and nearly 50% of respondents indicated that the sessions were hosted too early in the day. As a result, the City added two additional drop-in hockey sessions on Sundays from 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena and on Mondays from 9:15 to 10:45 p.m. at the Elksentre, starting in November.
Finally, two new programs were added due to high demand from survey participants. Parent and tot skate will take place Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Kin II. The program is aimed at preschool-aged children and guardians. Stick and puck will take place Fridays from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. (except on Spruce Kings games days) and Sundays from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. at Kopar Memorial Arena. This ice time is allocated for people of all ages and provides skaters an opportunity to practice stickhandling and shooting skills.
For more information about the program schedules and costs, visit the City website. Programs are subject to change to due stat holidays, major tournaments, and other events.
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Media contact:
Kendall Robertson, senior communications advisor
Mobile: 778-349-5393
Email: media@princegeorge.ca