Seven community outdoor skating rinks in Ottawa won't be opening this season, three of them because there's a lack of volunteer interest.

Darrell Bartraw tried to recruit a volunteer operator for the Ken Ross Park rink off Longfields Drive, which is closed this year.

He's the vice-president of the neighbouring West Barrhaven Community Association.

"I cannot understand how we cannot get volunteers," he said.

He said he hopes someone will step up in the area, which is near six schools from each of Ottawa's four school boards.

"What whoever is doing the rink has to do is come out and pack down the snow. Try to get a good base on it and water, water, water until it gets level. Once it's level, it's just basically keeping it groomed," Bartraw said, adding they also have some supervisory responsibility.

"If you get five people to come out just one night a week for a few hours, you'll get the job done."

Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder said there weren't enough volunteers to manage the Ken Ross Park rink last year either.

"I'm always ready to have those [boards] put back up, if and when we can get those volunteers," Harder told CBC News.

Volunteers needed

Two other rinks won't be opening in the 2017-2018 season because the city can't find an operator, according to Dan Chenier, the general manager of the parks and recreation department.

The rink at March Central in west Ottawa was only operated for half of last season and there's no operator this year, he said.

The rink in Hiawatha Park in Orléans was next to a private residence whose owner provided work and the water connection for that rink.

Chenier said the homeowner has decided not to continue this year.

Darrell Bartraw stands in front of the empty field where the Ken Ross Park outdoor rink is usually located. There are no volunteers to run it this year. (Matthew Kupfer/CBC)

Retaining and recruiting volunteers is a constant struggle for Steve Lee, a volunteer at the rink at Moloughney Park in Barrhaven.

"It is definitely boring work, you have to stand there with a hose and work it. Sometimes, that turns volunteers off," Lee said.

"I get it, it's not that fun. But at the same time I think it's rewarding to see a bunch of kids here or a tournament or something like that [on] the rink."

Canada Day damage

The outdoor rink at the Clarke Fields Park won't be operating this year due to ongoing repairs because of damage caused by the Barrhaven Canada Day celebrations.

Bartraw is also the organizer of that event.

"Because it's not levelled, you can't pour ice on it because [there are] a lot of grooves. It's still dangerous," Bartraw said.

"So it's not going to be fixed until the snow goes away."

He said a landscaper has been lined up and the work is expected to start in May.

5 new rinks

The city says the rinks at Sharel Park, Charing Park and Glandriel Park were closed because they were not well used in the 2016-2017 season.

However, five new outdoor rinks will be operating for the first time this season:

Patrick Dugas,

Richardson Heritage,

Arcadia,

Summerhill,

Tillbury.

There are a total of 270 community-operated outdoor rinks in Ottawa and four refrigerated outdoor ice surfaces maintained by city staff.