Former Canadian competitive skater says Toronto skating rinks are dumb

[Former Lurve Goddess]

I'm not sure if this is newsworthy enough or not, but filmmaker/actor and former Canadian men's singles competitor Brennan Martin has put out a hilarious video about the lack of figure skating ice time available at Toronto's extensive network of public rinks. The video includes some references to skating firsts achieved by Canadians (3Lz, 3A, etc). As an aside, Brennan might want to know that there's a rink near me that has a weekly adult public skate where people do practice some basic fs/ice dance (even though it's expressly prohibited) because no one monitors the rink during the 2 hour session.

 

[kalamalka]

Thanks. That's a very good video. There aren't any outdoor rinks in my part of the country, but the prohibition of SKATING on public ice rinks (in the guise of a concern for safety) is appalling. I wasn't aware that there were such rules anywhere. (can't lift a foot more than 4" off the ice? I'm sure even hockey players do that).

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Thanks. That's a very good video. There aren't any outdoor rinks in my part of the country, but the prohibition of SKATING on public ice rinks (in the guise of a concern for safety) is appalling. I wasn't aware that there were such rules anywhere. (can't lift a foot more than 4" off the ice? I'm sure even hockey players do that).

Toronto is notorious for being overly cautious (and bureaucratic) about everything. City hall banned tobogganing on over 45 hills last year, although they later reversed the ban. I personally was annoyed because there used to be a 2-hour Friday afternoon drop figure skating session at one of the outdoor local rinks near me, but they sadly got rid of it this year.

 

[bladesofgorey]

"too dangerous" for figure skating lol with over 4,000 hours of hockey. My better half plays in a no contact league. We both spend roughly 2 hours a week on the ice. Only one of us has broken and chipped things multiple times over the last 4 years and it wasn't me.

 

[overedge]

Thanks. That's a very good video. There aren't any outdoor rinks in my part of the country, but the prohibition of SKATING on public ice rinks (in the guise of a concern for safety) is appalling. I wasn't aware that there were such rules anywhere. (can't lift a foot more than 4" off the ice? I'm sure even hockey players do that).

Most of the rinks in my area have rules like this. It's ridiculous. Groups of kids are pushing each other around on the ice, show-offs in hockey skates are cutting through the crowds and skating way too close to other skaters, people using the walkers are firing them down the ice and then wobbling the length of the rink to get to them.....but someone doing a three-turn or a waltz jump is endangering others and must be stopped