From October 13, 2023 to March 31, 2024, the City of Saint John offers free public skating at all three of our indoor rinks. For dates and times, please download the public skating schedule, which is located on the right side of this page under related documents.

If you’re looking for somewhere to skate in Saint John, whether for hockey or recreational skating, you’re in luck. Not only does your city have the facilities you need (three municipal arenas and one outdoor rink), but all public skating in Saint John is completely free! In addition to public skating, our arenas also offer free scheduled ice time for preschoolers and seniors.

Indoor skating arenas include:

Charles Gorman Arena, 80 University Ave.

Stewart Hurley Arena, 1500 Hickey Rd.

Peter Murray Arena, 711 Dever Rd.

Outdoor skating is available at Lily Lake in Rockwood Park as weather and conditions permit, from dawn until 10 p.m. Outdoor ice conditions are available by calling Customer Service at 658-4455.

Anyone can spend time learning to ollie in any driveway or park. But to really learn what your board can do—and have a ton of fun—you kind of need the obstacles of a proper skate park. And that’s exactly what skaters in Saint John have. Just remember—helmets are required by law in New Brunswick.

Saint John’s biggest and most challenging skate park is Station 1 on Station Street next to TD Station. It's perfect for all skill levels and ages, with ramps, bowls, pipes, and rails. The annual Mayor’s Cup Skateboard Competition is held here on Canada Day.

A smaller skate park is located at Market Place District Park on the City’s west side. It's ideal for more novice skateboarders.

P.R.O. Kids is pleased to work with dozens of sport, recreation and arts organizations serving youth in Greater Saint John. This directory is for information purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement of any organization on behalf of the City of Saint John or P.R.O. Kids.

Sport rep teams not listed. Visit provincial sport sites for more information. Membership fees may apply for some organizations.
 

Below is a list of many sport organizations within the Greater Saint John area. Though the City isn’t affiliated with these organizations, we hope it helps Saint John citizens access sport and recreation opportunities.

Organizations themselves are responsible for providing accurate and updated links. They are also responsible for the accuracy and functionality of their websites.  If you are a sport organization who wishes to list your updated website here, please email us.

A nature park in the heart of Saint John, and a recreational jewel in the City’s crown. Located in the eastern area of the North End, Rockwood Park is one of Canada’s largest urban parks, at 890 hectares of forested hills, caves, and freshwater lakes. It was designed by Calvert Vaux, one of the designers of New York City's Central Park. 

Rockwood Park is a City hub for outdoor activities and entertainment year round. Over 55 trails and footpaths will guide you through unspoiled wilds. The park features a golf course, camping sites, stables, wellness spa, and freshwater lakes for fishing, swimming, boating, and skating. A Stonehammer Geopark site, Rockwood’s billion years of history can be seen in unique rock formations, caves, and waterfalls.  The park’s Interpretation Centre is the hub of information for all events taking place in the Park, trail maps, interpretive displays, and helpful  staff. Make a day of it!

NOTE: While visitors may enjoy the extensive duck population that calls Rockwood Park home, it’s important that you do NOT feed them. Feeding the ducks leads to their becoming dependent on humans; delayed migration; malnutrition; overcrowding; and lake pollution due to increased levels of duck feces.

Ihtoli-maqahamok - The Gathering Space [ee-doe-lee MAH-qwah-HA-muck]

For many decades, the space just beyond the intersection of King and Water streets in Uptown Saint John has been used for community gatherings - live music, festivals, and celebrations of all kinds. Now, it is entering a new era of access and expansion.

It is a name that pays homage to the ancestors of the land on which it rests, and to the spirit of the space and the way it has been and will be used: as a place of community and gathering.

As part of the City's waterfront development, Ihtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space, is being reinvigorated and reimagined, with the addition of a community skating rink, indoor/outdoor patios, an expanded stage for concerts, film screenings, and other special events. It also includes space for craft and food vendors, and easy access to enjoy the waterfront.

The design elements of Ihtoli-magahamok – The Gathering Space are rooted in three foundations of Saint John: the people, the water, and the rocks. It will be a significant landmark and a place of togetherness. A destination, and a meeting place for locals and visitors to come together.

The City of Saint John would like to thank all those involved in naming and bringing this space to life. The naming process was a multi-phased community effort, with help from Saint John residents, the City’s Civic Commemoration Committee, Common Council, and First Nations’ leaders and Elders from the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick (WNNB).

The Committee acknowledges that this space is important to the Loyalist heritage in the region, which will be recognized through interpretive panels in the area and the meaning of the new name.

What if you could do something good for your community and your planet just by choosing to do something good for yourself? Seems like a trick question! But when you choose active transportation, that's exactly what you’re doing. You benefit. Your city benefits. And so do future generations.  

Active transportation is when you use your own power to get from one place to another. Walking, biking, skateboarding, in-line skating/rollerblading, jogging, running, non-mechanized wheel chairing, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing—it’s any transportation that runs on you for fuel.

Active transportation is good for you because it gets you moving on a regular basis. You improve your fitness, which improves your overall health—including mental health. It’s also a pretty affordable way to get around, especially compared to driving, since there’s no gas or parking to buy. It’s good for your city because it reduces road congestion. Plus, everyone who chooses active transportation makes it more visible, which makes it an easier choice for others too. It’s good for the planet because active transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

What do you need in order to choose active transportation? Not a lot. You might need a little gear. You need some initiative. And, you need a city that supports your decision—a community that builds and maintains the necessary infrastructure that makes active transportation safe, accessible, and easy.

Active transportation in Saint John

Saint John is working hard to build, maintain, and improve infrastructure that encourages more residents to choose active transportation options. All Saint John Transit buses are equipped with front-end bike racks, and there are conveniently-located bike racks throughout the Uptown core—you can usually park your bike right outside of where you want to be. There are 373 km of sidewalks throughout the City, plus Harbour Passage—a 4.7 km trail that rings the Saint John Harbour—is an important pedestrian link to connect the City’s North end with the Uptown. 

There are two extensive bike routes in the City. The Campus Harbour Connection is a north-south route connecting Harbour Passage to the Hospital/University area. The Saint John portion of Trans Canada Trail (now the Great Trail) is an east-west route that stretches from Grand-Bay Westfield to Rothesay. 

Most importantly, the City is building active transportation into all of its major planning initiatives.

The future of active transportation in Saint John

Three initiatives that promise to make active transportation an easier and safer choice for Saint Johners are called PlanSJ, MoveSJ, and the Central Peninsula Plan. 

PlanSJ, the City’s Municipal Plan, aims to grow the City smarter by reinvesting in the Saint John’s urban core neighbourhoods, promoting denser, more complete suburban communities, and protecting our traditional rural character and landscape. This includes promoting greater choices for moving around the City and progressive environmental policies.  

MoveSJ, Saint John’s transportation strategy, addresses the City's need to create a balanced transportation network, and to make public transit and active transportation more viable and desirable options. The purpose of MoveSJ is to plan for active, shared modes (cycling, walking) of transportation integrated with the City’s existing street and highway networks.

The Central Peninsula Secondary Plan provides direction for new development and reinvestment in the City’s Central Peninsula. It is intended to implement Plan SJ within the Uptown neighbourhoods and align with and respond to the City’s recreation, transportation, economic, and population growth strategies.

The Lord Beaverbrook Rink is a year-round facility for ice hockey, ball hockey, box lacrosse, and special events. Besides the ice surface, it features an indoor 200m walking track. The walking track and public skating are free to the public. 

The rink has seating for upwards of 2,000 people, and is centrally located on Main Street in the City’s North End.

Saint John Story Series is a place to profile and highlight City of Saint John staff, service areas, and the positive impacts of City led initiatives within our community.

Measure of success: P.R.O. Kids marks 20 years and over 20,000 children helped

P.R.O. Kids is marking a major milestone this month as they celebrate 20 years of helping children in greater Saint John.

Since it was first formed, the charitable program, operated by the City of Saint John and led by a dedicated group of 14 volunteer advisory members, has helped more than 20,000 children access sports, recreation, arts and cultural activities.

“A lot of our families are from single-income households and many are newcomers. These are people who may have a more restrictive budget and, unfortunately, just don’t have the means to pay for the fees associated with these activities,” says P.R.O. Kids program manager Lori Lambert

“Our program takes care of that,” adds Lambert. “ Children who have financial barriers that prevent them from attending activities – whether that be hockey, basketball, music lessons, or art lessons – can have the opportunity to play, attend, participate and belong in the same way that other children do.”

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P.R.O. Kids will be celebrating its achievements this week at its upcoming annual FUNraising dinner, an event that was put on hold for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the group is looking to raise approximately $30,000 through the dinner, with 100 per cent of the funds going directly to help support children in the community.

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“We’ve got some great sponsors that have come on board from the very beginning including U.C.T. Jack Kidd Council 755 and Emera New Brunswick,” says Lambert. “We’re fortunate and we feel very confident that we’re going to exceed our goal and have a great event that will close off a great year for P.R.O. Kids.”

Two community champions who embody the values and mission of P.R.O. Kids will be honoured during this year’s dinner, and they are Chris Green of Top Corner Hockey, and members of the Dickie Crossman Memorial Foundation Committee.

The FUNraising dinner will take place on Thursday, November 17 at the Delta Brunswick Hotel.

Tickets are still available for the event and can be purchased online HERE.

Anyone who cannot attend the event but would like to donate can click HERE.

For those who would like to learn more about criteria and the application process for P.R.O. Kids, click HERE.

Administrative costs for P.R.O. Kids is funded by the City of Saint John, Town of Rothesay, Town of Quispamsis, and the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield. One hundred per cent of funds raised through events, donations, sponsorships and grants go directly to supporting children and youth throughout greater Saint John.