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Winter Skating at The Bentway
December 17, 2022 - February 20, 2023
The Bentway welcomes back local neighbours and fun-seekers for our fifth year of free winter programming, launching December 17, 2022. Skaters are invited to chill out and cozy up along a 220-metre figure-eight skate trail, located under the Gardiner Expressway.
This year, The Bentway’s winter season celebrates the diverse communities that make up Toronto and explores what it is to experience winter in our city for the first time. Learn more about our special “First Winter” programming.
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Holiday Period: December 17 – January 8
Daily: 12pm – 9pm
Post-Holiday Period: January 9 – February 20
Weekdays: 5pm – 9pm
Weekends, Holidays, & Elementary PA Days: 12pm – 9pm
- Enjoy hot chocolate & other goodies available for purchase at the bar, available Saturday & Sunday, 12pm-9pm. Friday & Monday, 5pm-9pm.
- Skate aids are available at the Skate Trail for free on a first come, first served basis.
- On Tuesdays (5pm-7pm) & Thursdays (5:30m-6:30pm), the east loop of the Skate Trail is closed for skating lessons.
- On Mondays starting January 9, enjoy free hot chocolate from 5pm-9pm courtesy of CityPlace and Fort York BIA.
- On Fridays starting January 13, we are pleased to offer free skate rentals from 5pm-9pm.
SKATE RENTALS & SHARPENING
- Skate rentals & skate sharpening are located at the east end of The Bentway Skate Trail (closest to Bathurst St.)
- Skates are rented out until 8pm and must be returned by 8:45pm.
- Skates can be rented for up to two hours at a time.
- Individuals renting skates must be 18 years or older, or accompanied by someone 18+.
- ID is required to rent skates (phones, wallets, keys, etc. will not be accepted)
- Credit or debit only.
Size range:
Adjustable Kids (BAUER LIL CHAMP BLUE) – size 6/7 to Hockey Senior (BAUER NSX) – size 12
| Children sizes, helmet included | $8.00 |
| Adult sizes | $10.00 |
| Helmets | $5.00 |
| Skate sharpening | $6.00 |
FREE SKATE LESSONS
- Click here to sign up for the waitlist via Eventbrite.
- Free skate lessons for children & adults will run on Tuesdays from January 10 to February 14, 2023.
- Registration for skate lessons opens December 20 at thebentway.ca/skatelessons and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Lessons are not cumulative; please only register for one date to ensure we can accommodate as many people as possible.
WINTER CARE KITS
Winter can be hardest for Toronto’s most vulnerable residents, including Newcomers. For the third year in a row, Bentway visitors will be invited to “pay-it-forward” to their local community. Help support the creation of Winter Care Kits for local neighbours experiencing homelessness and poverty; donate by credit card onsite; or online at thebentway.ca/wintercarekits.
WEATHER ADVISORY
Depending on weather, The Bentway Skate Trail may need to close for maintenance or cleanup. We work as quickly as possible to re-open the ice and ask that you please check our website or social media (@thebentway) for updates.
SKATE TRAIL RULES
All visitors to The Bentway Skate Trail are asked to please abide by the following rules of conduct:
- Always obey the Ice Guards and other staff. Leave the ice surface or any other adjacent area when asked to do so by staff.
- The Trail is unidirectional; please always skate in the designated direction.
- Only sharpened single-blade skates are allowed on the ice. Speed skates, bobskates, and double-bladed skates are not permitted.
- It is highly recommended that all skaters, especially those aged 6 and under, wear a helmet approved by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) while on the ice. Please note that bike helmets are not CSA-approved for use on ice surfaces.
- Children age 10 and under must be actively supervised by a responsible person aged 16 or older.
- The Skate Trail may only be accessed during approved operating times.
- No skating is allowed while the ice resurfacing machine is in operation, or when staff have identified unsuitable conditions.
- The following items and behaviours are not permitted on the Skate Trail:
- Food and drink
- Smoking
- Littering
- Strollers
- Hockey sticks or any other sticks
- Sleds, toboggans, chairs, or unapproved skating aids
- Rough play, racing, multi-player games, loitering or obstruction of skaters, offensive language, excessive noise, or abusive behaviour
- Report all accidents, injuries, and misconduct to staff immediately.
Any person not complying with these Rules will be asked to leave, and may be banned from the ice. Other Rules and Guidelines may apply during special events and workshops. Thank you for skating safely. Have fun!
