Can backyard hockey rinks survive climate change in Canada?
RinkWatch director Robert McLeman explains why warmer winters and ground that no longer freezes solid are making backyard rinks harder to build and keep across Canada.
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Media Stories
RinkWatch in the news and media coverage of our research
Recent Media Coverage
Analyzing future of outdoor skating rinks in changing climate
Written by Robert McLeman for NHL Green, drawing on more than a decade of RinkWatch skating condition reports from rink makers across North America.
📖 Read ArticleOutdoor skating on the rise during pandemic, RinkWatch says
Robert McLeman writes about the importance of outdoor rinks during the COVID-19 pandemic. NHL Green and RinkWatch have worked together since 2016.
📖 Read ArticleWith ‘RinkWatch,’ ice skaters help scientists monitor winter weather conditions
A look at how RinkWatch invites people with backyard rinks to share their location and skating conditions, helping researchers track winter weather.
📖 Read ArticleWinter Is Going: How Climate Change Is Imperiling Outdoor Sporting Heritage
Cites RinkWatch data showing that the number of high-quality skateable days in Toronto has dropped sharply over the last few decades.
📖 Read ArticleHow climate change is affecting outdoor skating
NHL Green profiles RinkWatch, the citizen science project that asks outdoor skaters to help scientists monitor winter weather and study the long-term impacts of climate change.
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Dr. Robert McLeman
Principal Investigator
Wilfrid Laurier University