The skating arena at Robson Square gives us Vancouverites a glimmer of what the rest of Canada takes for granted: the ability to skate outdoors in the winter. It is an iconic Canadiana experience which you can get for FREE here in balmy Vancouver (balmy in comparison to the intense snowstorm pummelling the rest of the country).
If you have your own skates and helmet the experience is FREE! If, like us, you own none of these items, skates are $4 a pair and helmets are $2. Helmets are included in the price when renting skates for the kids. Make sure to remember this is a cash-only experience.
We were delighted with the skater-helpers available for the kids. Now, if you are like my husband and I, a decade or so may have passed since you were last on ice skates. I will say right now, rollerblades hold little similarity to ice skates, or at least my body found no known similarity. The skater-helpers were great for the kids to cling to and for us parents to lean on while pushing the kids around. We could hide the fact we were about as stable as the 2 & 4 year olds by seeming to be terrific hands-on parents lovingly pushing our children around the ice. Win-win for everyone!
The outdoor rink at Robson Square runs until the end of February and won’t start up again until December. Make sure you and your family get in a turn or two around the ice. The hours are fantastic: 9am-9pm (Sunday – Thursday); 9am – 11pm (Friday & Saturday).
