GUELPH — The City of Guelph has temporarily iced its plan to ban further use of a skating rink developed in a south-side green space.

The municipality announced Friday it has agreed to permit conditional continued use of the rink behind Summerfield Drive until the first major thaw.

In his official blog, Mayor Cam Guthrie asserted "hallelujah," in announcing word of the agreement and next steps between the municipality and the Pine Ridge neighbours who have developed, maintained, enjoyed and defended the rink.

"Like anything in life, sometimes compromises need to be made. And in this case, it's no different," Guthrie stated on his blog. "I have talked to some of the neighbours, and so far, they are more than willing to agree to the few conditions laid out.

"I think it's a reasonable solution. It lets kids (and adults!) continue to have fun on this great rink, while balancing the very real safety, liability and other competing neighbourhood concerns at play in this issue."

The fate of the rink had been in jeopardy after the municipality received a complaint from a citizen about the structure. It then distributed letters in the neighbourhood on Jan. 23. They advised the rink was illegally encroaching on city lands, that use of it must end and that property added to the rink must be removed.

The municipality's response spurred a massive and critical community response.

In announcing the interim arrangement, Guthrie thanked the community for its "very vocal, very passionate, very heartfelt comments on the need to support outdoor rinks and healthy outdoor activity for our kids."

A statement issued by the City of Guelph on Friday asserted municipal staff will meet with Pine Ridge neighbourhood representatives next week to negotiate a more permanent arrangement. It stressed this interim decision was not a final one and that it was seeking an agreement that balanced the desire for community recreation with the right to peaceful enjoyment of private property, liability issues and the safeguarding of the environment.

"While the city works through these matters, we will allow Pine Ridge residents to continue to use the rink they've built until a significant thaw. They can use the rink from sun up to sun down, without music, lights or electrical hookups and at their own risk, thereby limiting the impact on some residents' enjoyment of their adjoining property," the statement asserts.