Halifax mum on skating oval name

Residents will have to wait a little longer to learn the name of the new skating oval on the Halifax Common.

Regional council spent nearly four hours discussing the matter behind closed doors Tuesday. An announcement was expected, but none followed.

Mayor Peter Kelly said even though council approved giving the naming rights to the highest bidder, no contracts have been signed. He said the name would be announced when the oval officially opens sometime in December.

"That's the terms that we agreed to," he told reporters.

Kelly won't name any of the corporations or groups that vied for the naming rights.

During the public part of the meeting, Coun. Jim Smith suggested naming the oval after Rob McCall, a seven-time figure skating champion and Olympian who died in 1991.

"He was born here in the Metro area and there's some movement about to name the oval after him or parts of the oval," Smith said.

In March, council agreed to spend $4 million this year to build the ovaland $400,000 to run it.

The decision was made after Emera pledged $500,000 and Molson Coors promised $400,000 in support of the Canada Winter Games oval that was popular with residents.