If you were planning on lacing up your skates on the Trent Canal this season, you might have to think twice. City council in Peterborough, Ont., is moving ahead with ending the city’s annual maintenance of the ice below the Lift Lock in an effort to cut costs.
According to the city’s 2025 draft budget, slashing this service would save upwards of $100,000.
The city voted on the decision in a preliminary budget meeting back in November, which absolved them of maintenance for the current season. Historically, the city has regularly flooded the ice surface to create a smooth rink, cleared snow, and tested ice thickness. Officials also posted green flags daily to indicate whether the ice was safe to skate on.
Over the past few years, there was a sharp decline in the number of green flags; in the 2022 to 2023 season, it was posted for four days, and last year it was up for just one.
The decision is part of broader measures to reduce spending as the city works to lower planned property tax increases.
Maintenance cuts prompt community pushback
The decision swiftly garnered pushback from the local community.
Some have taken matters into their own hands, bringing out shovels and snow clearing equipment to clean up the ice for skating. Others, such as resident Shawn Salo, have organized community skating events in an attempt to show the city the value of the rink.
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“I learned to skate on the canal, my kids learned to skate on the canal, and their kids should learn to skate on the canal,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “This is your chance to ensure you and your loved ones have the same chance!”
Though Salo said the meetup only brought in about 10 people, nearly double that amount pitched in to clear the ice. Residents brought in snowblowers, flooded sections of the ice, and even checked the ice’s depth for skaters.
“Who needs the city when you’ve got a community of people ready to take back this treasure facing our largest attraction, the Lift Lock,” commented Jeremy Blair Kelly on the post.
Mayor, councillor suggest federal government foot the bill
In a council meeting on January 20, Councillor Alex Bierk brought forward a motion to reconsider the cut following outcries from the community, but ultimately lost the vote.
Mayor Jeff Leal had previously suggested that the federal government step in to help out, considering the canal is federal property. “It’s time the government of Canada opened their wallet,” he said on January 13.
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Parks Canada annually installs steps leading down to the ice at the request of the city, including for the current season, the agency does not clear or flood the ice. Other popular skating destinations on federal waterways, such as the Rideau Canal, are paid for and maintained by the federally-funded National Capital Commission.
Leal isn’t the only one who thinks that it’s time the Trent Canal is supported by the feds. Councillor Kevin Duguay—who made the original motion to halt maintenance—noted that while the public continues to use the ice, the city shouldn’t be the ones to foot the bill. “We’ve never denied the use of the canal, we just decided we weren’t going to use money to maintain federal property,” he said in the same meeting.
Council is expected to vote on the final 2025 budget on February 3.
The city continues to operate an outdoor skating rink at Quaker Foods City Square as well as local neighbourhood rinks.
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