The Olympic Oval

The Olympic Oval is a great place to go for public skating. If you don’t have skates, there is a skate shop which will rent them to you. They also have a bunch of support stands for new skaters that you can use kind of like a walker as you skate. People also follow a bit of a system with faster skaters on the outside, and slower ones on the inside. This is nice, because if you are an experienced skater, you don’t have to weave around those going slow.
The cost is pretty reasonable at $ 6.75 for an adult, or $ 90 for an annual pass. They also have a ~450m running track that surrounds the oval which you can use for running and walking. As you go around the skating or running track, you’ll find lots of interesting activities going on around the building which are fun to watch. You’ll find all skill levels of people here from elite athletes to first-​time skaters and elderly speed walkers. The diversity makes everyone feel welcome!
Review #28 of Unilocal’s 30 Day Review Challenge

My very first time here was part of a Grade Six field trip where we skated on the outside track. I sucked (and continue to suck) at ice skating, so I had to utilize the outer foam boards to stop. Fun times.
It’s funny, but while I was an undergrad at the University of Calgary, I rarely visited this venue. Probably because I was so wrapped up in school that I didn’t make time to cut class and attend any of the events that happened here (what can I say, I was a nerd).
Fast forward to today, and while I still don’t come down for the public skates, I do visit every so often to watch some speed skating (mostly because I have a couple of friends who are Olympic hopefuls).
While there are fees to pay to join in the public skate (most fees to use the venue are waived if you’re a U of C student), if you’re watching speed skating training or certain events like Team Canada World Cup trials, admission is free and you can just walk past the turnstiles.
You can wander to ground level and sit at the public bleachers, which is cool because to get to them, you have to pass many skaters training on the running track.
There is no camera policy, so if you want to bring your DSLR with your fancy high-​speed stalker lens, it’s perfectly acceptable. In fact, you can stand beside the railing of the rink and snap pictures to your heart’s content, as long as you’re not interfering with or distracting the racers.
All in all, it’s a fun venue, and if you have time to check out the many events that go on here, you should. The Olympic Oval is a world class venue with world class talent, and it’d be a shame to not witness them in action at least once in your life.
¹⁄₃₀

The Olympic Oval was built specifically for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta. This facility is a 20 minute walk from my home, and until September 2010, I had never entered it’s doors. In fact, prior to my first visit, I had to look up the direction.
During a Tweetup (a gathering of twtter tweeps) in June 2010, it was my pleasure to meet a girl that has her sites set on racing the 500m distance in Speed Skating at the 2014 Winter Olympic games in Sochi. When she started to train in the fall of 2010 I asked if I could watch her practise.
I had never watched speed skating, and was immediately hooked on the sport. My friend Alex trains with the Canadian National Team, and they are impressive to watch. The discipline that goes into each moment is inspiring.
As for the facility — what an amazing venue. Can’t beleive I have never been there before — my loss. There is an area displaying training gear, race info, etc., from those that have made their mark on this sport. Also impressive.
The arena itself is amazing. The long-​track speed skating ice holds an ice area for hockey games, and another ice area used for both short-​track speed skating and skating lessons. (watched a group of small children taking skating lessons last week — all wearing speed-​skating skates — it was adorable).
Around the long-​track, there is a running track. Beside the ice, there is an area that is used for track training.
Permanent bleachers at both ends of the long-​track, make it easy to watch atheletes train or race. There is a 2^nd level, with a lounge (area with tables & chairs), that during practice times is a great area to watch from (found plug-​in to feed my unending need for battery charging — phones, laptops, etc).
There is another level which allows visitors to view the entire ice area in a unique way. Another great vantage point for snapping photos or shooting video.
I have developed a respect for the atheletes that train in this facility. Have enjoyed watching university students learn the game of hockey. Have giggled watching kids learning to skate. And with every visit I learn more about the sport of speed skating.
If you have never been, take the time to check it out sometime. Make sure to stop by the display area on the 2^nd floor — it’s worth the time. :)