In Kelowna, It’s been what’s considered a long, cold winter and that’s been great for Kevin LaFlamme.
“The season has been really good,” said LaFlamme, who runs the Bladez skate rental shop at Stuart Park. “I guess with the way Christmas and New Years fell you had a longer period (of holidays.)”
With families trying to figure out what to do with the nearly two weeks of non-school time, the free rink was a perfect budget-friendly way to enjoy the dark days of winter.
Evenings were also popular with a slightly older crowd, and even with one streaker.
“We had a person go through the rink bare-naked, on skates, just before Christmas,” he said. “I think it was a UBC Okanagan dare.”
He’s also seen a lot of Aussies and Brits hit the ice this year, proving to him that the ice rink has been a great tourism draw.
“People have read about or heard about it and want to check it out,” he said.
The season will continue until Feb. 28 and start up again Dec. 1. If you don’t have your own skates, LaFlamme has something for everyone.
