As a hockey mom, I’ve spent plenty of time driving to and from Milton’s rinks. I’ve done skating birthday parties, free skates where my children learned to skate with wobbly Bambi-like legs, and assorted hockey practices and games.
For newcomers to Milton or beginners in skating, figuring out where to start can be daunting. With terms like free skate, stick ‘n puck, and shinny, it’s not always clear which option is right for you or your children.
In this post, I’ll outline the different types of skating available in Milton. While the primary focus will be on drop-in skating activities, I’ll also touch on figure skating, speed skating, and hockey for those with other interests.
This beginner’s guide covers everything you need to know about ice skating in Milton, including indoor and outdoor rinks, drop-in skating options, and activities that require online registration.
Different Types of Skating in Milton
Milton offers a variety of skating options to suit different interests and skill levels. Skating, often called “free skate” online, involves visiting one of Milton’s rinks, lacing up your skates, and skating around the rink.
Then, there’s hockey. You may notice that if you visit one of the rinks for a free skate, you’ll see two teams battling it out on another rink. This is either registered hockey or could be Milton shinny, which is also known as pickup hockey.
Canada takes hockey seriously. Many young hockey players like to improve their skills even more than the lessons they receive during their registered hockey practices. They can participate in Stick ‘N Puck, a way to practice their stick handling and puck skills.
There is also sledge hockey available for drop-in. Milton is also happy to offer figure skating for those who want to practice a more artistic approach on the ice. Or if you find yourself or a loved one having the need for speed, why not sign up for speed skating lessons.
Milton’s Indoor Skating Rinks
Now that you know the different types of skating available, let’s take a look at Milton’s indoor skating rinks. Don’t worry if you find it confusing at first. The rink you visit will generally depend on the type of skating activity you choose.
Milton’s facilities are well-organized, and everything can be found online.
Milton Sports Centre
605 Santa Maria Blvd, Milton, ON L9T 6J5
The Milton Sports Centre has four ice rinks. The rinks allow for all types of skating, including free skating, figure skating, speed skating, hockey, stick and puck, and drop-in shinny. The rinks are listed as A, B, C, and D. It also has a concession stand and available rental facilities.
Milton Memorial Arena
77 Thompson Rd S, Milton, ON L9T 6H7
Milton Memorial Arena is a smaller-sized arena with one skating rink that offers hockey and skating programs. The rink is also available for rental, with rental facilities on-site.
John Tonelli Sports Centre
217 Laurier Ave, Milton, ON L9T 3R5
John Tonelli Sports Centre is another smaller-sized facility with one skating rink. It is mostly used for hockey. It has a concession stand, and rental facilities are available.
Sherwood Community Centre
6355 Main St W, Milton, ON L9T 2Y1
Sherwood Community Centre is the newest centre to join Milton. It features a twin-pad arena and spacious changing rooms. It is used for hockey.
Milton’s Outdoor Skating Rinks
In recent years, Milton had no outdoor skating rinks. However, after COVID, outdoor rinks were reintroduced to provide residents with safe, enjoyable activities. In 2021, Rotary Park and Campbellville Old Ball Park were designated for outdoor skating.
Outdoor rinks were previously maintained by town staff but were not supervised. Now, neighborhood rinks require a special application, and any approved rinks must be created and maintained by volunteers. Outdoor rinks are free to use. You can find more information here.
Drop-In Skating
According to the town of Milton website, drop-in skating, or free skating, is available at Milton Sports Centre and Sherwood Community Centre. To attend, it’s best to register online. You may purchase a single visit, 10-visit pass, or annual pass according to your preference and the age of visitors.
| Age | Single visit | 10-visit pass | Annual pass |
| Preschool (0-5) | $1.92 | $17.29 | $107.58 |
| Child (6-13) | $3.73 | $33.56 | $208.82 |
| Youth (14-17) | $3.73 | $33.56 | $208.82 |
| Adult (18-64) | $5.30 | $47.29 | $294.25 |
| Older Adult (65+) | $3.73 | $33.56 | $208.82 |
| Group (max 4) | $14.96 | $134.65 | $837.83 |
You may also choose to visit the rink and purchase from their customer service area, but keep in mind that the free skate can fill up fast. There is a calendar online that divides the skating times into the following categories:
- Adult Skate (18 years +)
- Family Skate
- Public Skate
If you decide to register for a time but have a change of plans, please cancel your registration to open up the spots for someone else. Also, the times may change, so check the calendar regularly.
Here are a few rules to remember.
- The family skate is unsupervised
- Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult who is 18 years and older and must remain near the ice
- The adult-to-child ratio, 12 years and under, is 1:4, which is one adult for every 4 children under 12
- Please do not bring food or drink on the ice, there is a concession stand with seats outside at the Milton Sports Centre
- Please come prepared with CSA-approved helmets
Drop-In Shinny
Drop-in-shinny is available at Milton Sports Centre and Sherwood Community Centre. Drop-in is ideal if you want to play some hockey but don’t have a regular team. In a similar fashion to free skating, there are categories on the online calendar which include the following:
- Shinny Sledge Hockey
- Shinny – 9-12 years
- Shinny – 9-12 years – Goalie
- Shinny – 13-17 years
- Shinny – 13-17 years – Goalie
- Shinny – 18 + years
- Shinny – 18 + years – Goalie
- Shinny – 45 + years +
- Shinny – 45 + years – Goalie
Now for some clarification on what all the above means. Sledge hockey, also known as sled hockey or para ice hockey, is a form of ice hockey played using a sled.
And if you are wondering why goalies have a different registration area in the calendar, it is because goalies play for free. Why do goalies play for free? Because they aren’t as common as regular players and can be hard to find.
In some cases, such as when a goalie is needed to play a game, they can even be rented from sites catering to hockey teams that need goalies for their hockey game.
If you choose to take a shot, literally, at some drop-in shinny, please remember that full equipment is required, including a CSA-approved helmet. Those under 18 years must wear a CSA-approved helmet with a full-face mask.
Body contact and slap shots are not allowed, and parents must also attend any children 12 years and under.
Stick and Puck
Stick ‘N Puck is a great program for hockey players to improve their puck-handling skills. The categories are as follows:
- Stick ‘N Puck – Preschool
- Stick ‘N Puck – 6-9 years
- Stick ‘N Puck – 9 years and under
- Stick ‘N Puck – 10 + years
- Stick ‘N Puck Competitive – 13-17 years
- Stick ‘N Puck – 18 + years
- Stick ‘N Puck – 45 + years
- Stick ‘N Puck – Homeschool
- Stick ‘N Puck Family – 9 years and under
- Stick ‘N Puck Family – 10 + years
Full equipment isn’t necessary, but CSA-approved helmets (with a cage for those under 18) and gloves are mandatory.
Body contact, slap shots, and the use of pylons as practice tools are not permitted. There is a 20-skater maximum, and spots can fill up quickly, so registration is highly suggested sooner rather than the day of. Lastly, if you are an adult on the ice with your child, you will have to pay for your visit as well.
Insider Tip: Before I move to the other registered sports, I’d like to give a shout-out to the possibility of throwing a birthday party at either Sherwood Community Centre or Milton Sports Centre. My husband and I have done this for our kids, and we all had a great time. Including those who didn’t know how to skate!
You have the option of booking a public skating party during a public skate with a private party room afterward or a private skating party with a private party room afterward. You get 90 minutes in the party room, and the price covers party invitations and the cost of skating on the ice for up to 30 participants.
Figure Skating and Speed Skating
Milton is fortunate to also offer its residents figure skating and speed skating options. To participate in either, you must register the participant through one of the programs on their websites. There are no drop-in times for either of these two skating activities in Milton.
For figure skating, there is the Milton Skating Club. At the time of this article’s posting, they offer the following programs:
- Parent & Tot
- PreCanSkate
- CanSkate
- Adult/Teen
- Figure Skating Future Stars
- PrePower Skating
- CanPower Skating
As for speed skating, there is a Milton Speed Skating website. They specialize in speed skating and offer a learn-to-speed skate program for ages 5 to 95 with a basic skating ability; you need to skate one rink lap in about 35 seconds.
Hockey
Here is some basic information for those interested in having their kids play hockey on a team. There are two leagues in Milton, along with a hockey school.
Milton Winterhawks
Milton Winterhawks is a great organization for registering children. All three of my children are involved.
Insider tip: there is an early registration where you can save $100 on your registration fees, this ends June 30.
If you are starting your child in what is known as house league, don’t worry; they don’t need to know how to skate. The excellent coaches will help your kids through practices and drills. They have the following age groups available (girls are welcome):
- Under 5 – Under 7
- Under 8 – Under 9
- Under 10 – Under 11
- Under 12 – Under 13
- Under 14 – Under 15
- Under 16 – Under 18
If you are interested in trying your child out for rep hockey, hockey specific for advanced skilled players, there is a fee to try out and no guarantee that your child will make the team. There are also Select teams for each year that also require a tryout. This is a team on top of your house league team for the same year.
They also welcome volunteers and coaches to help as it is a popular sport, and they never turn away a child who wants to play hockey – I love that! If you can skate and want to hang out with your kid on the ice, register as a volunteer, my husband does and has never looked back.
North Halton Girls Hockey Association
The second hockey organization that welcomes Milton girl hockey players is within the North Halton Girls Hockey Association. They have the following age groups.
- U7 – Tyke
- U9 – Novice
- U11 – Atom
- U13 – Peewee
- U15 – Bantam
- U18 – Midget
They also have a senior women’s recreational division for women ages 18 and older.
HSC Hockey School
If you want to give your child some bonus hockey skills, there is the HSC Hockey School. This is high-level instruction in the form of programs and camps. Online registration is required. They offer the following for youth:
- Total Hockey Program
- Power Skating
- Battle Camp
- Stick Handling Camp
- Full-Day Summer Camps
Final Thoughts
There you have it, everything you need to know to enjoy all the ice-skating activities available to Milton residents and Milton visitors. We truly are fortunate to live in a community that offers lots of skating options. I hope you try out one today; you won’t regret it!
