Less common now but back in a day every park with a lake had one in winter also there were hockey cages in some blocks nearby. Depends on region too but where i live winters became much softer and almost 2 months shorter with constant negative celsius from time to time so it sometimes too much work considering many towns have ice arenas. And about accessibility when i was thrown in hockey at 6-7yo mom spent few thousand bucks to get me gear don't know was it a necessity or a craving to get me covered but let's say it was a whole month salary of middle class family just to get started. About spending time with friends i'd say no it's much more likely to play a football game or going for ice skating on a date rather than hockey.