Whitby has released a detailed Fieldgate opening schedule for the new sports complex’s September 12 celebration, including free recreation programs and an appearance by Olympic figure-skating champion Elvis Stojko.
The public event at 2 Gathering Place begins with an official ceremony and ribbon cutting from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Free family activities and drop-in programs will then run throughout the facility from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The schedule is a substantial update to the Town’s earlier announcement that the complex would officially open this fall. Residents now have specific times for skating, swimming, gym activities, performances and building tours.
Skating, swimming and gym activities
Public skating in the first arena is scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m., with Stojko appearing during the session. Earlier in the day, local Whitby Wildcats and Whitby Wolves teams will play youth hockey scrimmages.
The second arena will offer public skating from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., followed by a Whitby Figure Skating Club show at 1:30 p.m. and a ringette session at 3 p.m. The Town says skate rentals will not be available and recommends CSA-approved head protection.
The aquatic centre will hold recreational swim parties from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 2 to 4 p.m., separated by a Whitby swimming demonstration. Drop-in pickleball and badminton will run all day in one gym, while the second gym cycles through family games, basketball and soccer activities.
Performances and family programming
The outdoor stage program includes cardio salsa, Latin dance, West African drumming, tai chi and Bollywood-fusion dance. Visitors can also find music, food trucks, an airbrush tattoo artist and a caricaturist in the event plaza.
Other activities include arts and crafts, a sensory space, a balloon artist and opportunities to learn about the building’s architecture, accessibility and sustainability features. Visitors may also preview the outdoor courts, turf field, skatepark, pump track and park spaces while final work continues.
The schedule gives families flexibility to focus on one part of the building or move between activities. The main ceremony is the only event scheduled before 10 a.m.; most recreation and family programs begin after the ribbon cutting. Food trucks will operate during the daytime program, while cake and refreshments will be available in limited quantities.
Getting to Fieldgate Sports Complex
The approximately 15,200-square-metre complex is west of Baldwin Street South and south of Highway 407. Parking is available in the west and central lots at 2 Gathering Place, including accessible spaces. Durham Region Transit Routes 302 and 304 serve the facility.
The building includes two ice pads, Durham’s largest aquatic centre, a double gymnasium, an indoor walking track and community rooms. The surrounding 13-acre park adds courts, a sports field, playground and other recreation amenities shaped through public feedback.
On-site electric-vehicle chargers will be free from September 12 through October 12. The Town advises visitors to review the complete schedule before attending because individual programs have different equipment and safety requirements.
Visitors interested in skating should bring their own equipment because rentals are unavailable. Those planning to swim should arrive prepared for the posted recreational swim periods. The Town has also published fall program and drop-in information for residents who want to return after opening day.
Sources: Town of Whitby; Town of Whitby event schedule; Durham Radio News
