The Parkdale Community Association (PCA) recognized that there is a sector of Calgary’s community that doesn’t have access to outdoor ice due to obstacles typically encountered in community ice rinks such as a lack of accessible change rooms and washrooms, inaccessible pathways leading to ice surfaces, and large height drops down to the ice along the perimeter of typical rinks. As such, individuals, and organizations such as the Calgary Sledge Hockey Association, have limited options to play their sport. The PCA set out to change this by creating the Parkdale Hub and Ice Rink which is Alberta’s first outdoor accessible community rink that is inclusive and accessible to everyone.

LOLA worked with the Parkdale Community Association, Level Playing Field, and the Calgary Sledge Hockey Association to build a new, fully accessible community hub that includes new washrooms, change rooms, an outdoor fire pit, and an outdoor gathering area with barrier-free access to the ice rink.

Celebrated as Western Canada’s first fully Accessible Outdoor Rink, this project has recently been awarded Rick Hansen Gold Certification, acknowledging that the Parkdale Hub provides meaningful access beyond building code requirements. The certification is based upon the holistic user experience of people with varying disabilities affecting their mobility, vision, and hearing. We are so excited to see this project receive Rick Hansen certification and to see more barriers removed from our communities.