Murphy Memorial Rink

There is absolutely nothing fancy about this rink but everyone who works there is incredibly friendly. The older gentleman who does skate rentals was amazing and gave my «little sister» a hockey puck to take home.
Skating is free during public free skate hours and skate rentals are $ 5 each. Skating on the rink can get a bit hectic with tons of kids playing games and tag but it’s definitely better than Frog Pond. They have a second, smaller rink that was primarily filled with kids learning to skate. I had no problem getting a free parking spot right outside.

I play in a weekly game on Sundays and for the most part the rink and facilities are fine. As you might expect for a government run facility, it’s a bit bare-​bones and lacking in some areas compared with private rinks, which is minus one star. They do, however have a second small rink which can be rented for about $
. Great deal if you get 6 – 10 people for a private skate.
Wish they’d take better car of the ice; it gets very chewed up by the end of the season. It might help if they knew how to operate a Zamboni properly. Getting the horrific stench out of the locker rooms would also be nice, but at least they are swept out and relatively clean/​maintained.
I’m taking away another star because of the brutal Southie idiots who show up for the open skates. Extremely inconsiderate and rude. I have been playing hockey for my entire life, skated at score of rinks, and have never seen a more poorly run and bad mannered public skate (and I include the Frog Pond, which can be maddening). If the kids from Southie represent a glimpse into the country’s future then god help us. Well done, parents. You should be proud of the next generation of losers you’re grooming.

After walking by this rink several times, I finally checked out the public skate info and tried it out last weekend. It was really pleasant! Lots of kids, most of whom are quite talented, a friendly rental/​shop area and a little food vendor. Public skating is as follows:
2007 – 2008 Public Skating Hours
Tue & Thur 1:30pm-2:30pm
Fri 7:00pm-8:50pm
Sat 2:00pm-3:50pm
7:00pm-8:50pm
Sun 2:00pm-3:50pm
They have classes and hockey leagues too– check the website. Sadly, the rink closes for public skating in early March. Despite a short season, rentals were $ 4 (if you bring your own it is free) and the ice was great.