Rink charge ice time to basic skills students

[littlekateskate]

One rink I know of waives ice time fees to students who are members enrolled in basic skills classes during private lessons. As well if the student is three or under (member or not) they dont charge them ice time.

Just wondering if anyone elses rinks do this.

I think its great simply since most three year olds only stay out on the ice a very short period of time. I dont know if that is there reasoning for not charging but just the only thought i could come up with.

[Skittl1321]

Our rink charges ice time to anyone who skates. If you are on a private lesson you must also pay for ice time. This is because even though you are paying a bundle for the lesson- it goes to the coach. The rink still needs to earn money to pay it's operating costs.

HOWEVER part of our LTS program is that you recieve 8 practice sessions and 3 guest passes that are valid during the duration of the session. That works out to once a week- you must still pay for rental skates during this time.

I think the biggest annoyance is when you skate a one hour freestyle and then one hour of club ice and have to pay $9 for the first hour and $6 for the second hour, though our rink isn't as picky as some and will give you the last ten minutes of freestyle free.

[icedancer2]

At my main rink, anyone under 5 gets to skate for free -- and this includes the rental skates. If you are taking the group lessons I think you get one public session per week free.

At the rink where they have the largest LTS program (hundreds of skaters) I think if you take any class you get all of your public sessions for free. Some people sign up for a class but never go to it just to get all of those public sessions!

Ooops I just reread your original post - no - if a person is taking a private lesson then he or she also pays for ice time, but I guess only if they don't fit into one of the above categories, so yes, I guess they do get free ice if they are also taking LTS/group classses or are under 5 (in the case of my main rink).

Wow, that is confusing!!!

[littlekateskate]

lol.. that was funny and not too confusing..

but yes we get one pass per week if you are in lts but you also get the free freestyle if you are taking a private. as long as you are enrolled in the lts.. But you have to pay for the whole 10 weeks or so not just one lesson :)

[littlekateskate]

At my main rink, anyone under 5 gets to skate for free -- and this includes the rental skates.

Wow, that is awesome. I am suprised skate rental is included that is craziness, lol!

We would skate all the time if it were true for us! Since both my skaters are under 5! :) hehe
Lol, it would probably save me money if i just moved, at least for another year, lol...

[Mrs Redboots]

Our rink offers an all-inclusive price for group lessons, which includes ice time and skate hire, plus skaters get to stay on the ice to practice after their lessons.

[Derek]

Our rink does not run any group classes except LTS, which operates the same as per Mrs Redboots, ie access to the public skate following the class. Coaches can organise their own group classes, for which standard charges apply, ice time is paid separately, the actual charges depending on whether it is private or public ice.

[Helen88]

Our rink offers an all-inclusive price for group lessons, which includes ice time and skate hire, plus skaters get to stay on the ice to practice after their lessons.

Same at Ally Pally, I was about to post - them realised we might have been talking about the same rink lol.

[sue123]

There's a rink near me that charges anoyone who enters, regardless of if they're skating or not. Which I think is stupid, but that's just me.

[Skittl1321]

There's a rink near me that charges anoyone who enters, regardless of if they're skating or not. Which I think is stupid, but that's just me.

That is a bit silly- especially since I would think rinks would prefer that parents not just drop off and leave their children, and charging admission to make sure your child is safe is silly, it encourages parents to use the rink as a babysitter.

That said, I did skate at one rink who charged an admission fee of $2 for non-skaters under the age of 21. They were trying to avoid being a "hang-out" if kids weren't skating. For the most part, it worked.

[Ice Dancer]

Ours charges, I think, £1.50 for people to watch on public ice. Morning patch they don't charge and I don't know if they do for evening patch.

Our group lessons are the same as the other rinks mentioned in the UK, you pay a one off block rate and that gives you admission to the rink for the lesson and the ice before and/or after your lesson. With private lessons you have to pay the rink for ice time and the coach for your lesson. With infants I think you only pay for skate hire, although I imagine "Ice Tots" is more expensive.