The Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot officially launched construction work on the roof of its refrigerated ice rink in Parc de l'Épervier on Monday.

Valued at $2.2 million, the new infrastructure will enable residents to enjoy the facility twelve months a year, starting in October 2024. The work was entrusted to Pégase Construction, while the architecture was created by the firm Poirier Fontaine Architechtes inc.

“The roof is the final stage of this refrigerated rink project, which began five years ago. The strategy has been to put money aside to have the capacity to buy and rent the equipment needed for the refrigerated rink. The intention is really to ensure resilience to climate change, among other things, and to allow ice sports to be played for longer,” says Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot mayor Danie Deschênes. 

Last season, ice sports enthusiasts were able to enjoy Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot's refrigerated rink for five months, while the other traditional ice rinks were open for around 30 days.

The municipal administration aims to make the infrastructure a gathering place for local families, teenagers and seniors. “The roof will allow us to use the infrastructure year-round.This summer we won't be able to use it, but that's only a temporary setback. We already know that next year, we'll be able to do a number of activities there, including with the bel âge.We'll be able to organize dance and sports activities, and why not hold an open-air potluck,” adds the mayor.

“The council and I are delighted that the project has been launched. We've had several challenges, several thoughts, but we decided to keep it as simple as possible. The idea is to provide access to the facilities, and not for it to become a monster infrastructure, out of respect for the people who live in the neighborhood,” concluded Ms. Deschênes.

During the work, access to the park will be minimally disrupted, but caution is still advised in the vicinity of the rink. Fences have been installed to delimit the worksite. "For your safety and that of the workers, please respect the signs in place,” reminds Ms Deschênes. Like you, we can't wait to see the structure go up, but in the meantime, let's observe the worksite from a safe distance.”