City of Peterborough Discontinues Maintenance On Canal Due to Budgeting; Final Deliberations In Early February

As part of its 2025 Budget deliberations, the City of Peterborough is not maintaining a skating rink at the Peterborough Lift Lock and may remove that service as a cost-cutting measure.

File Photo.

With the canal property of Parks Canada, the City does not decide on public access to the property, according to a press release. Parks Canada has, in the past, installed steps for public access to the ice surface of the canal at the City’s request.

The City estimates an annual cost of $100,000 for maintenance, which includes activities such as regularly flooding the ice surface to create a smooth rink, snow clearing with snow clearing machines, and testing ice thickness.

The green flag was posted for safe skating on the canal beneath the Lift Lock for the following number of days for each of the past few seasons based on weather and ice conditions: 2021-2022 season, 12 days; 2022-2023 season, four days; 2023-2024 season, one day.

The City also operates an outdoor skating rink at Quaker Foods City Square on Charlotte Street. It administers a neighbourhood park rink program provided by volunteers who maintain rinks at neighbourhood parks.

City Council will continue its 2025 Budget deliberations on Jan. 20 with final approval of the 2025 Budget anticipated on Feb. 3.

The Draft 2025 Budget reflects an eight per cent all-inclusive property tax increase for 2025. City Council has indicated it would like options to reduce the all-inclusive property tax increase to seven per cent.

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The Canal Is Now Open For Skating

We are doing a double axel and attempting a triple with the news that the green flag is up on the Trent Canal for the first time this season, meaning conditions are safe to skate there!

Photo by Evan Holt, PTBOCanada

If you haven’t skated on it, it’s definitely a bucket list thing to do with the family or on date night…

View this post on Instagram

Tommy's first time skating and Mom and Dad's first time on skates in a decade. Lots of falls and only a few emotional meltdowns, but I eventually got used to it. Tommy is a natural and will most certainly become the world's best hockey player. @jennjudson65 @ptbo_canada #liftlock #skating #peterboroughontario

A post shared by Mike Judson (@mike_judskin) on Jan 3, 2019 at 3:35am PST

The City of Peterborough tweeted out the great news that it’s now ready…

Not your ordinary public skate!

The flag is green and skating under the Peterborough Lift Lock is open. Check the City of Peterborough website for updates on the status of the canal. pic.twitter.com/4fNTsI72cR

— City of Peterborough (@CityPtbo) January 2, 2019

Remember, if the red flag goes up… NO SKATING!!

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UPDATED POST: The Canal Is Open For Skating

UPDATE: February 9th -> Now that cold weather has returned, the green flag is back up at the Canal, the city has tweeted. So sharpen those skates!

The Canal @TrentSevernNHS is green-flagged again - skating is permitted. Welcome back winter weather!

— City of Peterborough (@CityPtbo) February 9, 2016

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UPDATE: January 9th -> Due to all this rain coming down and the milder temperatures for the next couple days, the City of Peterborough has put the red flag back up. So no skating.

Mother Nature is not cooperating...Canal is red-flagged. Skating is not permitted. pic.twitter.com/zZVMqBvz2k

— City of Peterborough (@CityPtbo) January 9, 2016

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ORIGINAL POST

Great news, the green flag is up at the canal—meaning it's safe for skating!

The City of Peterborough has confirmed to PTBOCanada that the ice has been deemed safe.

So double-axel your way over there with the family...

Fantastic news:the Canal is green-flagged! The City of Peterborough and @TrentSevernNHS invite you to enjoy public skating at the Liftlocks.

— City of Peterborough (@CityPtbo) January 8, 2016

File photo: Evan Holt

Get out here @Ptbo_Canada! pic.twitter.com/5AUhyKKuIN

— WilkinsArt&Creative (@wilksart) January 8, 2016

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Take A Look At These Beauty Pics Taken On The Canal

Devon Ulrich took these pics yesterday and emailed them to us. Love em.

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Videos From CBC's Hockey Day in Canada In Peterborough

Lanny McDonald and Darcy Tucker at the canal...

[YouTube]

PMZ catching up with Ron MacLean...

[YouTube]

Hockey Day in Canada opening montage with Ron MacLean in Peterborough...

[YouTube]

Hockey Night in Canada intro featuring Don Cherry entering Memorial Centre and speaking to fans...

[YouTube]

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PtboPic: Saturday Morning At The Canal

[via @AlanaCallan]

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