Alexandra’s Iceinline and the Maniototo Adventure Park are both reviewing their helmet policies at their rinks, after the tragic fatality of a teenager last week in Christchurch.

IceInline secretary Dianne Elliot said that helmets are already provided for skaters to use in public sessions if they wish, but they had updated their signage so the public can see them more clearly.

“It is already compulsory for all school students to wear helmets when attending the rink with their classes for tuition,” she said.

The committee has also written to Dunstan High School to reinforce the message that helmets must be compulsory when visiting as a group. 

However, the committee had not yet made any hard decision on what they intend to do regarding the general public, whether to make them compulsory or not.  

Discussion is ongoing with other rinks around New Zealand such as Tekapo, Gore, Queenstown and Auckland to see what their stance is.

“Some have had policies in place, but were finding it hard to enforce, especially in public sessions,” she said.

The challenge would be convincing experienced skaters to comply with any ruling that may be made.

Iceinline said the last thing they want to do is discourage skaters from coming to the rink, but they are aware that they have an obligation to do everything they can to make sure skaters are safe.

The Maniototo Adventure Park has also changed its helmet policy and now strongly suggests everyone wears them. PHOTO: File

Maniototo Adventure Park manager John Grant said because of the other luge activities that take place in Naseby, helmets have always been made widely available.

But following a committee meeting this week, a quick change of policy meant staff would now “strongly suggest” rink helmets be worn by the public when on the ice.

“Unless they are a really strong skater and have their own skates . . . and if there are any strong objections to wearing them. It’s an individual choice.”

The rink was still yet to decide what its long-term policy would be on wearing helmets, but said the uptake with young children was 100 per cent anyway.

“And we’ve even had some people who wear them for curling.”