The covered rink at the top of the hill will soon start producing electricity – and generating revenue for the community.
In January 2024, the Ramsay Community Association was awarded a $532,000 grant from the City of Calgary’s Centralized Climate Fund Program. The funding supports the installation of a solar photovoltaic array on top of the covered skating rink on Ramsay Street SE, just up the hill from Ramsay School. The project is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.
The rink structure, which was built in 1977, is larger than a standard skating rink. The roof has the potential to hold around 500 solar panels at a low-tilt angle, meaning the panels will be nearly inconspicuous when looking at the rink from the surrounding park.
When completed, the solar array is expected to generate nearly 300,000 kWh of electricity every year – equivalent to powering 40 Ramsay homes. The solar array will connect to an existing 3-phase distribution line that runs on the west side of Ramsay Street SE.
The Ramsay Community Association can use the funds from the sale of electricity to fund community projects, programming, and activities including ongoing maintenance of the skating rink.
The grant is the culmination of 5 years of efforts from volunteers and the Ramsay Community Association board. And it isn’t the first solar project for the community association! At the end of 2023, solar panels were installed on the shack next to the skating rink. The rink shack solar project is a 7.60 kWAC system that was funded through ENMAX’s Community Solar Program.
If you have questions about the project, email general@ramsaycalgary.ca. More updates on the project will be added to the Ramsay Community Association website.
Let’s look forward to a sunny and sustainable future for Ramsay!
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