Blades of Change

Carving a brighter future for ice sports in our community

Our Growing Community Needs A Second Ice Rink

Squamish is buzzing with activity, and our current ice rink simply can't keep up. From youth leagues to adult recreational teams, an expanding women’s hockey program, and a burgeoning appetite from figure skating enthusiasts, the demand for ice time is skyrocketing. But with only one rink to accommodate everyone, schedules are cramped, opportunities are limited, and residents are being left behind.

One Ice Sheet is No Longer Enough

Squamish significantly trails comparable BC communities of 15,000-40,000 people when it comes to ice capacity. As one of Canada’s fastest growing communities, the need for an upgrade is urgent.

Salmon Arm (16,065) - 3 Ice Sheets; Cranbrook (20,008) - 3 Ice Sheets; Fort St John (21,123) - 3 Ice Sheets; Port Alberni (21,711) - 2 Ice Sheets; Squamish (23,968) - 1 Ice Sheet; Duncan (24,358) - 5 Ice Sheets; Parksville (27,330) - 2 Ice Sheets

The Current Situation

  • Minor Hockey Over Capacity

    Kids are being blocked from hockey. With limited ice times, the Squamish Minor Hockey Association can only support 24 kids per birth year. And if a child starts late or moves from another town, it’s nearly impossible for them to join.

  • New Programming Blocked

    There has been tangible interest in adding new recreational programming such as figure skatine, speed skating, and power skating. While we have the local interest and willingness to run such programs, there simply isn’t the ice time available.

  • Large Rec League Waitlists

    Men’s and Women’s Rec Leagues are a great way to foster community and stay active. With the current lack of available ice times, joining the league can be difficult, especially for people new to Squamish.

  • Girls League Boxed Out

    Most comparably sized towns in BC have their own girls minor hockey league. Squamish simply doesn’t have the ice time available to support this league, keeping many young girls off the ice.

  • Late Games Causing Friction

    The expanding Minor Hockey program is putting pressure on the Adult and Old Timer’s leagues to play many of their games at 10:30 or 11:15pm at night. These times aren’t feasible for many adults, and with no other options, they’re being pushed out the sport and the community that comes with it.

  • Overcrowded hockey Practices

    Overcrowded Kids Practices

    Ice time constraints currently force minor hockey teams into shared ice hockey practices. With up to 50 people on the ice at a time, this can create an unsafe and ineffective practice environment.

Read The Full Case Study

Community Support

  • "My 2 girls wanted to join a hockey team but there was no female option, nor space on a co-ed team due to lack of ice time."

    Kristen W

  • "Our community is increasingly growing with no signs of stopping. If you don’t have your kids in hockey by the time they’re 4 then it’s too late and they can’t join. It’s ridiculous."

    Aryn D

  • "Two kids in hockey - just got home 10p. From late night practice in city!"

    Anne J

  • The new rink is so overdue. Saying no to kids who want to play hockey is beyond ridiculous!

    Elliot M

  • Having kids on waitlist to play sports at 5-6 year old is unacceptable. And when a teenager wants to keep themself busy and play organized sports, we can’t put them on a waitlist and tell them we don’t have space for them.

    Perrine R

  • Minor hockey is at full capacity, with many kids unable to join — an unacceptable situation for a town of this size. Our women’s programs also cannot expand despite having the numbers to do so.

    Ebony R

  • 9 year olds shouldn’t be practicing at 5:45 am on a school day, sharing ice with more than 1 team for practices is unacceptable.

    Calli P

  • Sports of all kinds are the key to building community and encouraging healthy childhoods. The DoS has a responsibility to keep up with community growth and demand for recreation facilities.

    Sean B

  • A growing community requires a growing infrastructure. Period.

    Maria B

  • The arena has not changed since I played Rinegtte there 30 years ago . The population has doubled since then.

    Aileen R

  • Just one indoor rink for a population of nearly 24,000. that is far less than the national average per capita.

    Eric L

  • Our community and council is constantly proclaiming their Commitment to being a recreation capital, and we are sorely lacking in the facilities for foundational sports for our youth.

    Amanda B

  • A second rink isn’t just about hockey, it’s about investing in a safe, sustainable space for all ice sports, recreation, and community gatherings.

    TJ H

  • My son is 13 and as an attempted late joiner to hockey we have been trying to register him for a couple years now. The reality is he will never be able to join a team and play because of the dire lack of access to ice in Squamish.

    Kristi R

  • We are a growing community that greatly values ice sports and ice time is very limited.

    Kim C

  • Our single rink is currently operating at full capacity, limiting availability for programs like hockey, figure skating, public skating. Many families face scheduling challenges, long waitlist or have to travel to Whistler, or North/ west Van to access ice time- which is not sustainable or inclusive.

    Aymara C

  • With such an amazing place to live we need to have the space for our kids to grow within our community. Right now kids are leaving Squamish because we can’t accommodate the numbers that want to play the game.

    Darren M

  • We need another rink to support minor hockey in town. We should not have waitlists or lack of activity for kids.

    Stacy S

  • Squamish minor hockey isn’t allowing people to re join their association because they’re full.

    Michelle G

  • My daughter is a competitive figure skater and has to commute outside of Squamish to get sufficient ice time which is unacceptable!

    Celine P

  • My son can't even join hockey. No space in his age. He is 7.

    Tom M

  • As an adult I would love to get into hockey but the only times available are 10:30/11pm

    Sasha W

  • My son wishes to join a hockey program in Squamish but due to limited ice time available, the organization is not able to add more teams/players. Since he did not start hockey at a very young age, he now cannot get a spot on a team.

    Stephanie Z

  • I would like to get my daughter into on ice activities without bending over backwards for ice time

    Braden S

  • I had to stop playing as ice times were late in the evening. The kids had ice time way too early on the other side as well.

    Steven S

  • With a second rink more kids can participate in ice sports. Also, it will provide opportunities to hold tournaments and skating competitions which will bring revenue to our town.

    Nicole B

  • Girls’ hockey is growing—fast. Across Canada and beyond, more girls are lacing up skates, joining teams, and dreaming big. But without equitable access to ice time, those dreams are put on hold.

    Tiffany S

  • Outdated rink ,not enough ice times, and turning kids away from playing hockey is unacceptable.

    Keegan M

  • I would love to see a second rink so everyone has an opportunity for a decent time ice time.

    Tracy F

  • The current lack of rink space is already forcing development programs into school hours, disrupting education and limiting opportunities for our kids. Families are being turned away from sports in a community that prides itself on recreation. If we truly want to live up to that reputation, we must invest in a new rink—because right now, we’re failing our youth.

    Matthew L

  • It’s a joke that kids have to be on the ice at 5:45 am and it’s a joke that mens league games start at 11:30 when most people have to get up at 5 am for work.

    Brendan H

  • Smaller towns have more ice than Squamish, and this community is only going to get bigger.

    Katarina S

  • A second sheet of ice would not only allow more children, youth, adults, and seniors to participate in hockey and other ice sports, but it would also strengthen the sense of community that these activities foster.

    Anna L

  • Hockey is our national sport and kids need mentors like Hockey Coaches to set them in the right direction around many of life’s challenges facing youth today.

    Hugh H

  • I want all people young and old to have the opportunity to be on the ice.

    Patrick R

  • Emily G

    The girls need their own league!!

  • This isn’t sustainable for families, and it’s not fair to our kids who deserve the chance to play and grow in the sports they love. Squamish needs a second sheet of ice and a rec centre that truly meets the needs of this community.

    Kathleen G

  • Our son plays hockey and we can see the life long skills he’s acquiring from participation in this sport. Every year though, we are dismayed to hear his friends cannot also join their local team because there is no space to accommodate them in the same age group.

    Andrea D

  • This is long overdue and would make a huge difference. Also what would be nice is something like what salmon arm has, they have the salmon arm silverbacks you pay a cheap ticket price and it’s an awesome game with loads of concession and bars serving drinks almost like a Canucks game.

    Kaylee W

  • Our hockey teams and figure skating community needs this!!

    Jemma D

  • I believe a second rink would give more opportunities for kids, families, and the community to stay active and connected year-round.

    Nicky S

  • I played on the Squamish Eagles my first 6 years of hockey. Barely any ice times a week, and no room to grow. I had to leave Squamish to play in Vancouver, commuting everyday, two hour drives just so I could play a sport i love. Now playing NCAA ice hockey in college and no thanks to Squamish. I wish more than anything for when I eventually raise family here to give them an opportunity.

    Addyson H

  • The population is growing and the kids need more to do!

    Lila M

  • Both my sons play hockey as well as myself. This is simple, a second rink isn’t a luxury it’s a necessity for our community, period.

    Jonathan B

  • We owe it to our youth to do better. They deserve access to reasonable ice time in the way other communities provide this.

    Nicole C

  • Everyone is struggling for ice time, the rec leagues are having to play as late as 11pm most nights and there are so many people that just give up on playing hockey as a result of the poor ice times. Kids slots are overcrowded and there's a lack of opportunity for new programs. This is Canada, easy access to hockey and other ice sports should be a certainty!

    Jeff T

  • Less ice available means less players and families feeling the benefits of community spirit and physical well being. Hockey is part of canadian culture

    Derek R

  • In a digital world were we want to keep our children and ourselves as adults active requires community centres and programs that are available for our needs. These band aids jobs are not cutting it and a new community centre and secondary rink is required to match the growth of its community members.

    Melanie A

  • Im a second generation born and raised squamish local, it kills me to see the town I grew up in squeeze every last apartment building and town house in they can with no upgrades to our infrastructure. Our kids and future generations are suffering!

    Brad P

  • There is simply not enough ice time for programs. Many groups have super late ice times and that isn't feasible for many. Which leads to less playing and ultimately less people buying memberships for Brennan Park in general.

    Stephanie S

  • Accessible sport is beneficial not only to the community / economy but for individuals mental, social and physical health.

    Cait L

  • Hockey is the core sport that binds our country and creates a sense of community. With an ever growing population the opportunity to play hockey is lost on the people of Squamish because we only have one seasonal ice sheet.

    Russel L

  • It is ludicrous that we can not have another rink. With so much CAC coming in from development (not to mention LNG) perhaps it could be put to actual good use.

    Charles F

  • Squamish has needed an upgrade for our kids for way to many years now. Time to stop building and focus on what the younger generation needs to succeed and support their young passions.

    Wendy C

  • Squamish needs to figure it out. We left town due to the poor recreation facilities in the town. Grow up

    Darby H

  • I’ve had two children go through SMHA.. we eventually pulled our second son out and moved him down to a more hockey focused arena. It gave him the ability to achieve the goals he’s set for himself. It’s quite sad that those opportunities aren’t available in Squamish.

    Rich M

  • The current ice surface is over-capacity and children are being turned away from hockey and made to play in communities outside our own. A second rink is needed to support Squamish's increased population.

    Fraser D

  • Team sports are essential to the mental health of our youth and teach invaluable life skills. Having enough ice so that all ages of our growing community can have access to ‘reasonably’ scheduled games, practices, be it for skating, hockey, or open family skate is crucial for everyone in the community.

    Kim B

  • Squamish is one of the fastest-growing communities in B.C., and demand for ice time at Brennan Park has far outpaced what a single rink can provide. Hockey, figure skating, mens league, women's league, and recreational programs are competing for limited hours, leaving many families and athletes without fair access.

    Caroline L

  • Children in sport creates confidence, determination, team work, focus, mental and physical heath, beautiful friendships and community. As a town known all over the World and visited for its recreation, the local citizens and children deserve to be a priority and have infrastructure to support growth & opportunity now and well into the future!

    Deanne L

Let’s Make it Happen

It’s clear that Squamish needs a second rink.

The Squamish Ice Rink Expansion Initiative is a passionate collective dedicated to meeting the growing demand for ice recreation in our beloved town. With the existing rink operating at full capacity, it's clear: we need more space to skate, compete, and connect.