Public Service Announcement

Oval Reopens Saturday at 5 p.m. in Time for Public Skate and Warming Hut Opening

(January 28, 2011) The Canada Games Oval will reopen to the public at 5 p.m. on Saturday, January 29th weather permitting. The Oval has been closed since Thursday for ice maintenance including final ice markings (start/finish/lane markers) for sport technical purposes in advance of the Halifax 2011 Canada Games. Crews experienced a delay yesterday due to the weather.

The reopening will coincide with a public skate and the official opening of the onsite Warming Hut. Mayor Peter Kelly and Regional Council, along with the team from @lab, invite residents to join them tomorrow (Saturday) night at 5:30 p.m. at the Oval for a ribbon cutting and presentation of the Warming Hut to HRM.

The creators of the Hut will be on hand to demonstrate and explain how the innovative, 15-foot tent-like warming hut at the North Common site is the result of a collaborative effort between HRM’s Community Relations and Cultural Affairs division and the NSCAD @lab for use during HRM’s Winter Festival at the Canada Games Oval and the Halifax 2011 Canada Games. The Hut seats as many as 12 visitors at a time and will remain on the Oval site as long as the cold weather remains.

The ribbon cutting coincides with C100’s Skating Under the Stars. More information about the Warming Hut can be found at www.halifax.ca/skatehrm/About/WarmingHut.html.

Visit skatehrm.ca to confirm events, for condition updates, and to view a calendar of Oval programs, or call the Oval Information Line at 490-2347 for schedule changes due to weather or other conditions.

The Canada Games Oval is the largest artificial ice surface east of Quebec City and will be featured as HRM’s marquee outdoor venue for the Halifax 2011 Canada Games from February 11th to 27th.

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Contact:

Claudy Levy
Site Supervisor, HRM
718-6420

Mary Angela Munro
Program Manager, HRM
401-3754

Professor Robin Muller
@lab
442-4227
430-6117-(cell)