Written By Jan Sims
DELAWARE - Residents of Middlesex Centre and beyond are lacing up their skates for another season on the Delaware ice rink.
The outdoor rink, which was first proposed by the Delaware Lions Club in the early 1970’s has been a familiar and popular winter fixture in on Gideon Dr., and is still maintained by the Lions. “The Lions or Lioness are a community-based service club. We look at ways in our community to make it better, whether it’s hanged flowers in the summer, building skate board parks, outdoor roller hockey rinks, community centers or ice rinks,” says Lion Eric Cornelis.
It takes a community to put up the rink for the season, and this year was no exception. The walls surrounding the rink are typically put up in November and December by a team of volunteers, with flooding to prepare the ice taking place when the cold temperatures roll in. The rink was opened on January 14th.
There have been improvements for 2025. “This year is a new rink frame, custom built and designed by Lion Paul Daigneault. We as well received a most generous donation from the Komoka Kilworth Home Hardware of material. Matt Vanos from Vanos Insulation always donates the rink liner each year. Vanos Insulation also stores the rink for the year,” says Cornelis.
Skaters are expected to follow certain protocols, such as no sticks and pucks during parent and child skating daily from 10 a.m. to noon. “Mostly be nice and use common sense,” says Cornelis.
Because it’s an outdoor rink, the weather has an impact on the skating season. Last season’s warmer winter meant that the rink was open for only a couple of weeks. But there are hopes that this season will be longer. “Fingers crossed the February thaw is not bad,” says Cornelis.
