Regina's Iceville season comes to an end, will return next winter
Iceville at Mosaic Stadium has closed for the season following a successful two months.
The event cost the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) $20,000 to host.
With over 13,000 people lacing up skates and attending Iceville, CEO Tim Reid said it "might have been the best investment we ever made."
"Watching others get down to the field level for the first time was part of the magic of Iceville. For so many of us, we don't have that opportunity to be at ice level, or field level, and look up at the stadium. It really is a remarkable feeling for people," Reid said.
Over 200,000 people registered to skate at Iceville, but the season was cut short due to the warming weather.
"We ironically saw more bookings in the winter months during COVID-19 than we saw in a traditional, regular operating year," Reid said.
Iceville, which was Saskatchewan's largest outdoor skating rink, was created with the goal to provide a new recreational opportunity for Regina.
"Since the pandemic hit we've been forced to find new ways to adjust and continue life in as normal a way as possible," Regina mayor Sandra Masters said. "Getting outside in any form has proven to be not only a great escape for us but a necessary health break for many of us."
Reid says REAL was overwhelmed by the support. The event will return next winter prior to the holiday season.
WATCH | An overhead look at Iceville inside of Mosaic Stadium in Regina
Supporting the Regina Food Bank
While thousands attended Iceville over a two-month period, it also helped raise money for the Regina Food Bank.
Over 5,500 pounds of food was raised through the event, which will create over 5,000 meals for the community, said John Bailey, CEO of the Regina Food Bank.
During the pandemic, the demand for food has increased. In 2021, 110,000 people used the Regina Food Bank, which is an increase from the 80,000 the year before, Bailey said.
"We're really growing our need which is unfortunate, but what we are incredibly grateful for is the support of our community and making sure neighbours feed neighbours."
