Due to the mild weather, conditions in early November were not optimal for the freezing of artificial ice, and the City of Helsinki's energy-saving measures are also affecting the freezing schedules for artificial ice rinks.
The freezing of the artificial ice rink at Brahe field started in week 46. The Brahe field has a new bioflex artificial grass surface on a flexible substrate that was installed in the summer, and that has not been frozen there before, so the rink requires slightly more stable conditions for freezing. The aim is to be able to skate on the Brahe rink during week 49.
The freezing of the other artificial ice rinks in Helsinki, namely Jätkäsaari, Käpylä, Laajasalo, Lassila, Lauttasaari and Pukinmäki, will start in stages from week 47. The Kontula artificial ice rink is under renovation, after which freezing is expected to start during the Christmas holidays, weather permitting.
With the exception of the Oulunkylä and Brahe artificial ice rinks, the freezing of artificial ice rinks in Helsinki starts when the average daily temperature is below 2°C.. In the past, freezing started when the average temperature fell below 5°C.
Information about the opening of the artificial rinks will be published separately on the City of Helsinki website and on the social media channels of the City of Helsinki Sports Services.
Weather permitting, the skating season at the Brahe and Oulunkylä artificial ice rinks will continue until mid-March 2023. The season for the other artificial rinks in Helsinki will close by the end of February 2023.