Rink Nonmaintenance

[Casey]

So one of the rinks I skate at is really in dire need of more maintenance. It's pretty run-down, but the ice is pretty good and the people are nice, and they have good hours that are convenient to my schedule these days, so I skate there a lot. I've learned a lot about ice maintenance since I've been skating there, namely, it's a lot thinner than I thought it was, and it's not a simple task to keep level.

I've come to find out, that the last time the ice was redone was SEVENTEEN years ago. Yeah, it looks it. Parts of it have been dug up to fix leaks in the system underneath and then patched up afterwards. In other parts the pipes have shifted up closer to the surface than others...

Today, while skating around, I noticed a funny sandy patch in the middle of the ice. I stopped, looked, and yes, it WAS sand, the ice had either gotten too thin there or the sand had grown thicker there and gotten pushed up through. It wasn't too long ago that somebody kicked a hole in the pipes in one of the corners... The business is too poor to shut down for long enough to redo the ice, but it needs redone pretty badly. I so wish I could afford to just invest loads of money in that rink... ;)

Anyways I found it entertaining so I thought I would share. Anybody else have stories about poorly-maintained/old rinks?

[mikawendy]

Sheesh! 17 years! 8O 8O 8O

I hope their insurance company doesn't know.

I've never seen anything quite as bad, but one time last year, a rink I skate at was having problems with its ice and it got all rumply-surfaced (skating forward was like going over gentle hills, and then these developed into more major ruts). There was a test session scheduled for before the ice could be fixed, but the club offered people refunds if they didn't want to skate on those ice conditions. I think at least one person did test their Novice Moves on that ice, and the worst parts of the ice were at the ends of the rink. 8O

[Casey]

Sheesh! 17 years! 8O 8O 8O

I hope their insurance company doesn't know.

I've never seen anything quite as bad, but one time last year, a rink I skate at was having problems with its ice and it got all rumply-surfaced (skating forward was like going over gentle hills, and then these developed into more major ruts). There was a test session scheduled for before the ice could be fixed, but the club offered people refunds if they didn't want to skate on those ice conditions. I think at least one person did test their Novice Moves on that ice, and the worst parts of the ice were at the ends of the rink. 8O
Well this rink at least has become skilled at ice repair, trial by fire I guess. ;)

Sometimes uneven spots develop, but then they fix them pretty well with specific edging, watering, digging up and repatching, or advanced Zamboni maneuvering. ;)

I like skating there because the ice is actually pretty good. Not perfect, but quite good.

[sue123]

Our rink is in need of maintance. But they'll be closing soon to replace the ice and boards. Hopefully, the ice won't be slanty when they're done.

[phoenix]

Most of the rinks where I skate, or even in the general area where I skate, are closed this week (or more) for maintanence! We're scrambling to find ice time......

[froggy]

as much as I adore the people at my rink the ice is more often than not, not too smooth. it's really hard and thin, it doesn't take much for a powerful free skater to create craters in the ice. the cement? sand? is too close to the surface in some parts. its a real shame since my rink is pretty big and has such potential to be made into a bright cheerful and smooth rink, i think it's lack of $ that is holding them back.

sue123 do you skate at newbridge, i know they will doing some maintainance soon, i bet a lot of skaters will be heading to the rink i usually go to.

[cassarilda]

I've come to find out, that the last time the ice was redone was SEVENTEEN years ago. Yeah, it looks it. Parts of it have been dug up to fix leaks in the system underneath and then patched up afterwards. In other parts the pipes have shifted up closer to the surface than others...

Today, while skating around, I noticed a funny sandy patch in the middle of the ice. I stopped, looked, and yes, it WAS sand, the ice had either gotten too thin there or the sand had grown thicker there and gotten pushed up through. It wasn't too long ago that somebody kicked a hole in the pipes in one of the corners... The business is too poor to shut down for long enough to redo the ice, but it needs redone pretty badly. I so wish I could afford to just invest loads of money in that rink... ;)


Hmmm sounds a lot like my rink... :frus: there used to be 4rinks in melbourne... now theres 1, and they know they hold the monopoly and people will still keep coming even though its dangerous and the ice is crap.

The owners dont care about the rink.. we need a new Zam, the whole place needs to be refurnished, there is NO insulation and when it rains, apart from not being able to hear yourself think due to the tin roof, it pours down on the INSIDE of the walls.... the ice dips at the edges of the rink, its like gravel in places and when they DO flood it to bring it up, they put too much water down so thats its not properly frozen for the next session and any toepick leaves massive rivits in the ice...

Its dangerous, but its a catch 22.. we need to draw attention to it before anyone more seriously gets hurt and so we can enlighten people that we NEED a new rink, but we dont dare, because it will surely get shut down, and then where will we all go?! :frus:

[SkatingOnClouds]

Wow Erinna, sounds like your rink is a lot like ours now.

I could write pages, but instead I shall breathe deeply, light some incense and repeat a mantra; "Everything in my world is always perfect, even when it seems to be crud to skate on."

[lovepairs]

4 years skating at this one rink--perfect ice everytime. Then about 3 months ago lumps start to appear. So, I scrap them down with my blade every morning until I start to feel like I'm hurting my blades. Then more lumps and more lumps. So, I go to management to complain. They take a walk out on the ice and can't believe what they are seeing. So, now they hand me an ice scrapper. For the last month I've been spending 10-15 minutes of my session scrapping bumps. So, I finally go to management and totally blow! Turns out that they have this slacker kid, late at night, after the hockey game Zamming the ice like he's at a goddamn Nascar race. Not caring, just wanting to do the least amount he has to do to get paid and get out of there. So, two days ago, I'm scrapping like 60 bumps, miss one of them, my heal gets caught on one bump during patter 3 (Int. Moves) I go flying and take one of those really hard falls on your hand--you know when your hand gets all these little painful red spots--was certain I broke my palm. So, I go screaming to management, again! NO ONE HAS THE BALLS TO FIRE THIS SLACKER KID!!! INTURNS RULE THE WORLD!

[Debbie S]

Ouch, Lovepairs, I hope your hand feels better soon!

Is this Wilmington? If so, yikes - I hope they get the ice straightened out before the comp in July.

The rink where I have been doing most of my skating is closing for July and August to redo its ice. So everyone is scrambling to figure out ice time and practice schedules at the other rinks in the area.

[lovepairs]

No, IceWorld, at Hatfield, PA. Happy to give them a plug in exchange for the fall! :twisted: :halo:

[Casey]

"So, now they hand me an ice scraper."

This is when I would have to push it back at them with an insistent glare on my face and say, "YOU, fix it." :evil: :twisted:

Hope your hand feels better soon. :(

[tidesong]

At my rink, the zamboni tends to break down alot (mostly because they dont bother to do regular maintenance on it until it breaks down). They then try and make up for this by flooding the rink with water at night so that it freezes over night and is reasonable for the next day.
The ice has gotten very thin before, but if pipes surface then the cone the section off, so you dont trip over it.
Similarly this is the only rink in the country so they have a monopoly and people have no choice but to keep skating there.
At least they dont hand us ice scrapers, the rink staff will get on the ice to scrape if its really bad.