Get ready to lace up for a skate at Woodgrove Centre.
The shopping centre in north Nanaimo is converting its centre court into an indoor skating rink.
The pop-up seven-metre by 11-metre synthetic-ice rink arrives Feb. 5 and will run until April 1, and will be a fundraiser for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre.
“They’re going to be providing the volunteers to staff it and 100 per cent of the admission fee will be donated to the charity,” said Julia Dow, Woodgrove Centre general manager. “It’s just an added bonus for us here.”
The synthetic ice surface is actually a high-density polyethylene sheet, which can be skated on with regular ice skates. Dow said the mall will have some rental equipment available, but she encourages people to bring their own skates and helmets.
Admission will be $3 for 15 minutes of skating time.
“The whole idea is we want to make it affordable for people to help us raise money for the charity,” Dow said.
Woodgrove Centre is planning some fun events to promote the rink and draw people onto the ice. Dow said the mall is working on partnering with the Nanaimo Clippers hockey team to possibly come out for a public skating and autograph signing event and a skate with the Easter Bunny is also in the works.
“We’re still planning, but we have lots of exciting activities planned for this and the community’s been very, very interested. I’ve gotten a ton of inquiries so I’m quite excited about that as well,” Dow said.
To learn more about events planned for Woodgrove’s indoor skating rink, visit the shopping centre’s website at www.woodgrovecentre.com, follow mall events on social media at www.facebook.com/woodgrovecentre/ or text the centre at 250-800-7001 during regular opening hours.
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