JP W

RUDE STAFF

I recently visited Northgate Ice Rink for the first time in almost six years. My last visit resulted in a broken arm, and at the time, the medical staff offered little to no assistance. However, that was a long time ago, and I decided to give the rink another chance. Upon arrival with my friends, we paid, entered, and proceeded to collect our skates. As per the usual process, we handed over our tickets and shoes. I was on an important business call at the time, but we had already provided everything necessary. Then, one of your staff members—a Black man in blue—gestured for my ticket again, despite the fact that I had already given it to him (which both my friends and another staff member witnessed). Instead of clarifying professionally, he sarcastically remarked, "Are you here to skate or be on the phone?" This was incredibly unprofessional. That call was with a major client, and being treated with such disrespect while handling business was unacceptable. The staff member continued with more sarcastic comments, making the interaction unnecessarily unpleasant. Later, after enjoying the rink (which I must say, was a great experience), we returned our skates around 10 PM. I greeted the same staff member politely, yet he responded in Zulu— a language I do not understand— in a tone that seemed far from welcoming. After looking at other Google reviews, it seems like this kind of poor customer service is a common occurrence, possibly involving the same staff member. If multiple visitors are experiencing the same issue, it raises serious concerns about how staff are trained to interact with customers. This was my first time back in years, and this experience left me wondering how other customers are treated daily. While I love the rink itself, the unprofessional behavior from some staff members seriously *****ed the visit. I sincerely hope management addresses this issue to ensure a more welcoming environment for all guests.