Tonight I finally got around to testing something that I picked up at a clearance sale earlier this week. In particular, I ended up at this place (although the tree blocks a large part of the space in the photo).
It's probably been a dozen or so years since I've tried this, but I managed to accomplish my goal of not falling on my ass in spite of a couple of hours spent on the ice. (That said, my stopping could use a little practice, and I also haven't yet gotten around to skating backwards).
Considering that I live less than a five minute drive from Canada Olympic Park, skiing or snowboarding may be the next winteresque sportish activity that I try out. (That said, it might be more fun to try out some other activities that are perhaps a little harder to find facilities for). It still sometimes amuses me that the next timed stop on my bus route from the university back home is a ski hill (even if a semi-artificial one). And, yes - on average that there are at least a few people headed to the place with their skis or snowboard at hand when I board the bus at the university. (I wonder if they'd even allow you to take skis or a snowboard on a Translink bus back in the Lower Mainland).