Explaining the policy change during city council's Jan. 22 meeting, Mayor Karin Marks said initial concerns, followed by discussions with residents and the department, led to the formulation of new rules to assure there wouldn't be too many people giving private lessons on the rink at any one time.

"There will continue to be private lessons which will be monitored by the recreation department," she said. "It seems to be something that people in the community want and so we have tried to respond to those desires and needs in a way that balances the needs of everybody.

"We are hopeful that that will continue to be done," she added. "If it's done responsibly and assures that nobody runs the risk of having any problems while somebody else is giving a private lesson, then we'll be able to do that to actually balance everybody's needs."

Mike Deegan, director of the recreation department, said the new regulations don't allow private skating lessons on Saturdays and Sundays between noon and 4 p.m.. "That's because of the overall demand for ice time during that period—it's a peak period at the arena," he said. "Obviously, it's not particularly the best time slot for lessons."

Deegan said that prior to the restriction, one or two private instructors were providing lessons during a given hour. "It is a busy time and we're just trying to minimize the traffic on the small rink in that particular time slot," he said, adding that the decision affects the small rink, but not the larger one used for hockey.

While noting that the recreation department offers group lessons from Monday to Friday, Deegan said the private one-on-one lessons typically take place on Saturdays and Sundays. "The fact that private lessons can continue works well," he said.

According to Martin Préfontaine, a part-time ice attendant at the arena, safety might have been a consideration when the decision was made to restrict private instruction.

"On the small rink, you can have five or six instructors giving lessons, but they have five or six different styles," he said. "If they teach figure skating, (skaters) put their legs up. It's pretty dangerous for the kids around."

Irene Moskatel, a skating instructor who gives private skating lessons in Côte St. Luc, said she was unaware of any associated safety issues and that there are no restrictions at the Samuel Moskovitch Arena. Another private instructor from Côte St. Luc, Regine Melameth, said safety is sometimes a concern.

"There are kids who are just having fun on a Saturday night and they don't really follow the dividers that separate those who never skated from the rest of the arena, and so they just come flying," she said.