Kinngait to get outdoor rink in fall as arena’s future remains uncertain
New skating surface to be installed in October after indoor ice closed over permafrost concerns
Kinngait’s community arena, built in 1988, has been closed for nearly three years, after the hamlet identified issues related to permafrost. The community is now using structural monitoring to assess whether the facility can be repaired or if a different solution will be needed. (Photo by Randell Sonmor)
Kinngait will have a new outdoor skating rink in time for winter, while residents wait to learn whether the community’s nearly 40-year-old arena can ever reopen after thawing permafrost damaged it.
The new portable rink, measuring 40 by 120 feet, arrived on the first sealift this summer and will be assembled in early October beside Sam Pudlat Elementary School, said senior administrative officer Randell Sonmor.
Seen here is a design drawing of Kinngait’s new portable outdoor skating rink, which arrived on the community’s first sealift. The rink will be installed beside the elementary school in October. (Photo courtesy of Randell Sonmor)
The area has good street lighting, which will allow children to skate during both the day and evening, he said.
A basketball court near the elementary school has served as Kinngait’s temporary skating area since the arena closed, with water poured onto the concrete surface.
Sonmor said the loss of the arena has been felt most by the youth hockey team, who no longer have access to a heated indoor facility.
“In any community, you need a place to be active and we’re trying to do what we can with the outdoor skating rink,” said Sonmor. “But obviously, it’s not as ideal as a regular arena.”
The indoor arena, built in 1988, was closed two and a half years ago after crews noticed problems while preparing the ice, said Kinngait Mayor Jimmy Manning.
“We started seeing the effects of permafrost,” Manning said, adding that the building was sinking.
The hamlet then brought in consultants to determine the extent of the damage.
They found the ground beneath the arena was not suitable for an ice surface.
The next step is a year-long structural monitoring program, said Sonmor, which will be co-ordinated by the GN to better understand the condition of the arena.
A consultant is expected to install monitoring equipment in early October to track movement in the building’s piles and beams, as well as stress and strain on the structure.
“That’ll add information on the overall structure of the building, just to confirm that it’s really in poor condition, and perhaps may not be suitable for future use,” Sonmor said.
The new outdoor rink comes as Kinngait continues expanding recreation opportunities for its residents.
Earlier this month, the community was named Nunavut’s Most Active Community in the 2026 ParticipAction Community Challenge, earning $10,000 for recreation and physical activity initiatives.
“Our recreation director and his team, they’re doing a lot of good work, and we have day camps running now this summer, so they’re always quite busy throughout the year with various programs for the youth,” said Sonmor.
If the ice rink cannot be saved, the GN and the hamlet should plan any future establishments like the Burj Khalifa building in Abu Dhabi, whereby they drill long piles deep into the ground before pouring a concrete foundation.
The piles would ensure that all new builds on permafrost stayed in place, and the concrete foundation secures any potential shifts of a singular pile to prevent structural shifts.