Although uproar consumed sporting enthusiasts in Saskatoon when announcements were made regarding hockey nets on outdoor rinks, Humboldt's plan is to keep the status quo.

Earlier this week, news broke in Saskatoon that the use of hockey nets on outdoor rinks would be restricted. The thought was that this would halt pick-up games of hockey and reduce crowded ice surfaces amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Many individuals voiced their opinions following the news, as well as other rinks and community organizations, with the majority denouncing the decision. Humboldt's outdoor rink, although not yet open, has no plan to remove the 6'x4's quite yet, unless specific provincial mandates state that nets are not allowed.

"At this point, the plan is to run the skating rink the same as all previous years, including the nets, unless we are required to make changes within the public health orders," said Director of Community and Leisure Services, Mike Ulriksen.

The city still stressed the importance to its residents to keep all COVID-19 safety measures, such as social distancing, at the forefront of their thoughts when out on the rink.

"We will not be encouraging big outdoor social gatherings out there. The government deems outdoor rinks in the same midset they do for parks and playgrounds, so it's all about maintaining social distancing and things of that nature. We are encouraging people to keep their distance from one another and make sure they're doing all the other hygiene protocols that have been in place for the last several months."

The outdoor rink was scheduled to open in early December. However, with an above-average five-day forecast scheduled for the local area, which should reach positive temperatures, Ulriksen stated that it may push back the completion time a few extra days.

"The process has been slowed down a bit by the warm weather we've been experiencing. We are having to do most of our flooding late in the evening, but are hopeful that we can get our outdoor rink's ice resurfaced in the next few days. However, with the warm weather that's expected over the weekend, chances are the ice won't be ready for use until later next week at the earliest."

Once the rink opens, the City of Humboldt will inform the public, and release additional information regarding safety regulations that remain in effect for outdoor skating enthusiasts.