As of January 1, adults using public rinks in Moncton will be required to wear a helmet, but some people are giving the new law an icy reception.
“We’ve been skating out on ponds and everything and now we have to throw on a helmet?” says Tony MacDonald, who has been skating since he was three years old.
“I’d just rather not have to put on a helmet.”
“I don't really feel like I need one. I figure skated for ten years and I never wore a helmet then, but I won't have a problem putting one on if I have to,” says skater Jessica Horseman.
Starting in the new year, every adult from beginner to seasoned veteran will be required to wear a helmet approved by the Canadian Standards Association when skating in a Moncton arena.
Children under the age of 12 are already required to wear a helmet.
Officials say the law will be too difficult to enforce in outdoor rinks, so they will be exempt from the new rule, but the city still recommends the use of a helmet.
“We feel it's our role to be as prudent and proactive as we can to make our recreational facilities as safe as we possibly can,” says Moncton Leisure Services Director Jocelyn Cohoon.
Exceptions will also be made for coaches and figure skaters.
“Our major junior hockey league is exempt, because they have some visiting players and coaches and so they're exempt,” says Cohoon.
Skater Malcolm MacLellan says the city’s “safety first” approach is a good one.
“A week ago, there was a guy who came out, he wasn’t a good skater and he fell two or three times,” says MacLellan.
To help ease the transition, city officials say a few free helmets will be available at local arenas for use on a first-come, first-served basis.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
