An indoor ice rink for the Roblin Park Community Center is proposed in the city's newest budget

There is excitement in and around Roblin Park over the news that the community center may soon have an indoor outdoor ice rink.

Plans to build an indoor ice rink over the next few years were made as part of the city's budget unveiled Wednesday.

The cost of the project is 1.5 million dollars and may be completed in 2027.

“It's huge,” said Alex Heese, president of the Roblin Park Community Center. “It's always good to be able to upgrade.”

According to Heese, it's something the board of directors has been talking about for some time and even brought it up with Kuhn. When Evan Duncan ran for office in the area.

“I didn't realize the ball was going to be picked up after those conversations, so we put the inquiry down, but as with anything bigger-ticket, you can get your hopes up a little bit.” (But then Duncan) called me and said the budget process was approved and it looks like we're going to get an indoor rink and I thought, 'That's great.'

Duncan, chairman of the Community Services Committee, said the city looked at options last year and discussed what could be done in the area with Mayor Scott Gillingham.

He said they used the indoor rink at Camp Manitou as a comparison, showing how it could be used for a good part of the year.

“This is an opportunity for us to reinvest in the community, especially the community clubs, and give them the opportunity to enjoy outdoor skating for a long time,” Duncan said.

According to Duncan, this could be a trend that Winnipeggers are starting to see across the city and will make Roblin Park a destination for many.

“It's something the community can rally around and it's something they embrace.”

Both Duncan and Heese agree that this could open up opportunities for other events held in the warmer months, such as weddings or markets. Other sports such as field hockey and pickleball can also be played there.

“Now we can cover this rink hard and turn it into a pickleball rink, which is a common thing in the city now. Now we can host outdoor events, outdoor trade fairs. If the weather is bad, anything; now they can go under and stay dry,” Heese said.

The official portion of the project isn't expected to begin until 2026, but Duncan said it could begin as soon as the council votes on the budget.

“I'm ready to get it off the ground and throw some of my land use reserves into it so we can be ready to rock and roll in 2026 and then build in 2027,” Duncan said.

If all goes according to plan, Duncan said he would like to open it in the fall of 2027.

The final vote on the budget is set for March 20.