Group working to get NHL-size rink installed inside the Halifax Oval

Ryan O'Quinn would like to see an NHL-size rink installed in the middle of Halifax's Emera Oval so that hockey would be more accessible to people.

He's the organizer behind the Hockey on the Halifax Oval group and he said he's taken measurements that show an ice surface would fit there.

There are no plans for the municipality to add a hockey rink to of the oval right now, but O'Quinn hopes that changes in the future.

In the next few months, he plans to launch a website, render a few more schematic designs and build a budget. He would like to see the rink be part of the municipality's master plan.

"By the time the master plan is developed, the city will acknowledge that people have expressed yes, there is interest in building a rink and then the city will say give us a plan," O'Quinn said.

"And my hope is to have a financing, business-plan model finished by the summertime." 

O'Quinn is hoping to secure $2 million in funding from a private philanthropist to build the rink.

His idea was inspired by a chance encounter with young hockey players he met at an outdoor ice surface on a flooded basketball court at the corner of Almon and Oxford streets in Halifax.

"We were out of breath and we took a break and I said, 'Where are you from?' They said, 'Cole Harbour' and that kind of shocked me," he said.

"And they said this is the only free, outdoor pad to play hockey on in the HRM that they could find. And that really blew my mind that they would travel all that way to this tiny little court."

Some time later, O'Quinn said he was able to play a game of shinny — an informal form of ice hockey — at night at the oval.

"People set up boots for posts and start playing. And then I'm sitting there staring at this big empty space in the middle of the ice in the oval being like 'Why is there no rink there?'" O'Quinn said.

Putting a rink within a skating oval has been done before, O'Quinn said. There are two rinks in the middle of the University of Calgary's oval and the outdoor oval in Roseville, Minn., has a rink in the centre.

He said having an additional rink would make hockey more accessible for new Canadians and low-income families, as well as help more people get active.

QMJHL outdoor classic?

The rink could also be used for special hockey games. O'Quinn envisions a winter classic between the Halifax Mooseheads and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

O'Quinn said in warmer months, the rink surface could be used for lacrosse, ball hockey and roller derby.

"Ultimately, you want to put something in there that works all year round," he said.

O'Quinn said he's not taking his rink proposal to Halifax regional council any time soon. He wants to build public support for the project.

Reaction from skaters

Skaters lacing up at the oval on Saturday seemed supportive of the idea.

"I think it's great. It's just a big empty green space that — well right now, it's just green — that could be used for hockey and then all of a sudden you have an extra developed space to use for the summer," said Rene Hughs.

Julie Caron said it would be great to have another space to skate.

'A lot of empty space in the middle'

"It seems like it's just a lot of empty space in the middle and people come a lot to the oval, it seems pretty full. It seems if there's enough enthusiasm for it, it could be a good idea," Caron said.

Denita Hammond said the rink could encourage more young people to be active.

"It gets kids into playing hockey," Hammond said. "It gets people out and getting fit ... I just think more outdoor activities in winter is great."