Toronto city council has decided that 41 of its outdoor rinks will remain closed over March break despite the efforts of one councillor to have the facilities reopened for the school holiday.

City councillor Case Ootes fought hard to keep the rinks open, but his motion to have them reopened for March break was defeated. The rinks officially closed last Sunday.

Ootes said he was "very disappointed" and it made sense to him to keep the rinks open while Toronto is experiencing "sub-zero weather."

According to the city's parks department, the cost of reopening the rinks for a week, which would have included rehiring seasonal staff to maintain the ice surfaces, would have been as much as $380,000.

Ootes said if Mayor David Miller had acted on his suggestion earlier, the cost of reopening the rinks would have been lower than estimated.

Eight of the city's outdoor rinks remain open this week and next but they will close for the season on the last Sunday of March Break.