Skating programs
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
A list of programs and schedules can be found below. Children five and under must wear a CSA-approved helmet for all public skating programs, and a full-face cage is recommended. Youth under 12 must be supervised by an adult 18 years of age or older at all times. Skates are required for all programs. One sledge is available at all arenas for public use.
Kids shinny
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Two teams are created from registrants to play in non-competitive shinny hockey game. CSA-approved full caged helmet is mandatory for all participants, shoulder pads optional. Participants are required to supply their own properly fitted helmet and will not be allowed on the ice without one.
Schedule for July 2024 to August 31, 2024:
Bostwick Arena on Sundays
6 to 7 years old - 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
8 to 10 years old - 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
11-12 years old - 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Adult stick and puck (15 years and older)
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Adults can bring their stick and puck to improve their shot and stickhandling.
This is an unstructured ice time. No private programs are permitted. Organized hockey games, slap shots and structured practices are not permitted. No aggressive play is permitted.
All participants are required to wear a full-caged CSA approved helmet. The maximum number of participants on the ice is 30 people.
Schedule for April 2024, to June 30, 2024:
Carling Arena on Mondays from 12 to 1 p.m.
Schedule for July 2024 to August 31, 2024:
Bostwick Arena on Mondays from 12 to 1 p.m.
All ages freestyle skate
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
This skate is for adults for all ages who are interested in performing basic figure skating moves including but not limited to backwards skating, turns and ice dancing, as well as hockey skating moves including but not limited to backwards skating and tight turns.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Tuesdays
- Bostwick Arena from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Thursdays
- Kinsmen Arena from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Children and youth stick and puck (5 – 15 years old)
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Parents can come out with their children to practice stickhandling and improve their shots. An adult must accompany children on the ice.
This is an unstructured ice time. No private programs are permitted. Organized hockey games, slap shots and structured practices are not permitted. No aggressive play is permitted.
All participants are required to wear a full-caged CSA approved helmet.
Schedule for July 2024 to August 31, 2024:
Bostwick Arena on Sundays from 12 - 1 p.m. and 1 - 2 p.m.
Free public skating
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Come out and practice your skating skills with family and friends. Open to skaters of all ages and abilities. Beginners will be asked to stay in the middle of the ice. Skating assists deemed safe will be permitted. CSA approved helmets are recommended.
Schedule for April 2024, to June 30, 2024:
Carling Arena on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Schedule for July 2024 to August 31, 2024:
Bostwick Arena on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Parent and child skating
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Free for adults (18 or older) to spend quality time with children ages 13 and under in a safe, quiet environment. CSA approved, full caged helmet required. This program has no ice cruisers.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Mondays
- Lambeth Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
- Carling Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Tuesdays
- Medway Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Wednesdays
- Argyle Arena from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.
- Oakridge Arena from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.
Fridays
- Lambeth Arena from 10 to 11:45 a.m.
Saturdays
- Stronach Arena from 9 to 9:45 a.m.
- Farquharson Arena from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
Parent and tot shinny
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Free to adults (18 or older) to spend quality time with preschooler (5 and under) in a safe, quiet environment. Bring your own sticks and pucks and work on hockey skills. CSA approved, full caged helmet required for everyone. Skate assists are not permitted.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Mondays
- Carling Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Tuesdays
- Medway Arena from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Lambeth Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Wednesdays
- Kinsmen Arena from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.
- Argyle Arena from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.
Parent and tot skating
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Free for adults (18 or older) to spend quality time with preschoolers 5 and under in a safe, quiet environment. CSA approved, full caged helmet required. This program has no ice cruisers.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Mondays
- Kinsmen Arena from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
- Earl Nichols Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Tuesdays
- Bostwick Arena from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
Wednesdays
- Carling Arena from 9 to 10:45 a.m.
- Kinsmen Arena from 1:30 to 3:15 p.m.
Thursdays
- Bostwick Arena from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
Public skating
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Come out and practice your skating skills with family and friends. Open to skaters of all ages and abilities. Beginners will be asked to stay in the middle of the ice. Skating assists deemed safe will be permitted. CSA approved helmets are recommended.
Schedule for September 2023:
- Saturday, September 16 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Earl Nichols Arena
- Saturday, September 23 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Earl Nichols Arena
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Fridays
- Argyle Arena from 8 to 9:45 p.m.
- Oakridge Arena from 8 to 9:45 p.m.
- Kinsmen Arena from 6 to 7:45 p.m.
Saturdays
- Farquharson Arena from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
- Stronach Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
- Earl Nichols Arena from 2:30 to 4:15 p.m.
- Medway Arena from 2 to 3:45 p.m.
- Carling Arena from 8 to 9:45 p.m.
Sundays
- Argyle Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
- Medway Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
- Bostwick Arena from 2 to 3:45 p.m.
- Carling Arena from 2 to 3:45 p.m.
- Oakridge Arena from 2 to 3:45 p.m.
- Kinsmen Arena from 3 to 4:45 p.m.
Senior skate
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Adults aged 55 and up are invited to enjoy music and exercise while they skate. There will be a flood of the ice halfway through the skate. Skating around the ice is the only activity permitted. No routines or skating as partners.
Please remember that there are skaters of all abilities. Beginner skaters are asked to move to the centre of the ice surface with more experienced skaters closer to the boards. Please judge your skating speed based on the number of people on the ice.
Schedule for April 2024, to June 30, 2024:
Carling Arena on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Schedule for July 2024 to August 31, 2024:
Bostwick Arena on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Senior free style skating
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
This skate is for adults aged 55 and over who are interested in performing basic figure skating moves including but not limited to backwards skating, turns and ice dancing as well as hockey skating moves including but not limited to backwards skating and tight turns. There will be a flood of the ice half way through the skate.
All areas of the ice are available to everyone. Please be aware of the other skaters and give appropriate clearance for spins and other figure skating activities.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Tuesdays
- Kinsmen Arena from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
- Carling Arena from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Wednesdays
- Earl Nichols Arena from 1 to 2:45 p.m.
Thursdays
- Kinsmen Arena from 10 to 11:45 a.m.
- Bostwick Arena from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Sledge stick and puck
Registration is required for all programs. Walk ups are not permitted.
Participants with and without mobility challenges can use their sticks and pucks on the ice while seated in an accessibility/mobility device called a "sledge". CSA approved, full caged helmets and hockey gloves are required, and participants must provide their own sledge.
Schedule for September 30, 2023 to March 31, 2024:
Sundays
- Carling Arena from 1 to 1:50 p.m.
Skating lessons
The City of London offers a variety of learn to skate opportunities.
Adult lessons
It's never too late to skate! This program teaches basic skating fundamentals while enhancing a healthy and active lifestyle. Participants advance at their own pace in a relaxed atmosphere with a fully certified coach.
*CSA approved helmets are mandatory. Visit our registration page for information related to financial assistance.
Children/youth lessons
The Learn to Skate program is designed to offer children ages four and up the opportunity to learn through interactive strategies that will teach basic skating techniques. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes. There are four levels within the program. Children will graduate from each level once they have mastered the below criteria. Please register your child in the appropriate level based on their ability.
Level One
- Make snow, walk or march across the ice
- Stationary jump, fall down and get up
- Marching around on the spot (both directions)
- Walk backwards
- Kicking ball with alternating feet
- Two foot glide – sitting and standing
- Forward skating across the rink without falling, with a consecutive push-glide sequence
Level Two
- Forward skating across rink without fall, with consecutive push-glide sequence with speed
- Forward stop, forward and backward double sculling
- Forward and backward skate and jump
- Forward two foot–one foot glide (hold for a minimum two seconds)
- Backward skating width of the ice with weight transfer from one foot to the other with gliding motion
- Stationary “V” pushes
Level Three
- Backward consecutive “C” pushes across the ice
- Backward stop while skating
- Backward two foot–one foot glide with balance
- Forward circle thrusts, backward “C” circle thrusts
- Forward and backward one-foot glide on curve
- Forward tight glide turns
Level Four
- Forward and backward crossovers
- Mohawk turns, forward to backwards and backwards to forward (edge optional) or three-turn (with optional edge)
- Forward outside and inside edges
- Lunge/knee drop
- Two-foot and one-foot side stops
*CSA approved helmets are mandatory. Please indicate your child’s badge level on the registration form. Visit the registration page for information related to financial assistance.
Parent and tot skate lessons
Free to adults (18 or older) to spend quality time with pre-schoolers, five and under, in a safe, quiet environment.
A preschool program designed to teach young skaters from ages three to five how to skate without the assistance of a parent or caregiver. This interactive program will teach your young tot to skate by participating in creative themed activities while focusing on fun and continuous movement. Colouring sheets and incentive stickers are awarded each week for skaters' efforts. Parents or guardians over the age of 16 must be present and on the ice with their child. Helmets are required for all including the parent or guardian.
*CSA approved helmets for both child and adult are mandatory. Class is limited to 15 participants. Visit our registration page for information related to financial assistance.