Skating on Thin Ice

I have been working to plan an outdoor ice skating rink for months. You’d be surprised how long it takes to put together a plan for something like this. I was surprised at the rabbit trails of questions about logistics, the number of companies that provide support services for a rink, and the various directions in which one can take a project of this nature. Living just outside Chicago, I didn’t think much about the temperature from December to February – we’re almost guaranteed beautiful, ice-cold weather (except this year!). Which then led to questions about keeping both the ice, and people, at the optimum temperatures for a long period of time.

What I am discovering is that maintaining an outdoor ice skating rink is not that simple, of course. For maximum use and the best ice, it needs to be kept at a consistent temperature the whole time the rink is up. This means a huge power source needs to be accessible or generators need to be utilized. Most locations do not have a large enough hot water tank to fill an ice rink either. Yes, the best ice is made with hot water, so the providing company trucks in hot water to build the rink. Each company also schedules regular visits to check the ice and run a zamboni around it depending on the size of the rink. And, while the ice is being poured, if you’d like your organization’s logo in the ice, now is your chance. But before any of this can happen, the location for the rink needs to be prepped; if it’s not smooth and level already, a platform base needs to be built before a rink can even be considered.

When talking about space needs, not only is space for the rink a must, but consideration needs to be made for a skate rental and storage area. Then, of course, a “bull pen” or place with benches for skaters to swap out their shoes and don their skates, plus a locker or cubby area for them to put personal belongings they don’t want to take onto the ice. Anytime you have a group of people together, bathroom facilities need to be accessible whether the rink is in a parking lot near a building or porta potties and hand-washing stations are brought in, and people will want food and beverages available even you charge for them.

Additional space must be available for everyone to park unless the rink is near a train or bus station, and not just for the guests, but for everyone working the rink as well. Other logistics to consider are: light trees if the rink will be open at night, the schedule the ice will be open, tasks and responsibilities needed to have the ice open safely, the number of staff or volunteers to fulfill those needs, what decorations should be considered, or if a fence needs to be installed.

One thing I did that I highly recommend for anyone attempting a new type of event, is to talk to another planner who is either an expert in the field or who has planned an event like the one you are considering. I spoke to someone who has successfully run a large outdoor ice rink for a few years and picked her brain about some challenges they faced and how they overcame them. She had great advice and brought to mind things I may never have thought of. My main takeaways were the sheer number of volunteers required for the moderate schedule they had the ice open and the cost involved to get the initial project up and running.

Most providing companies require one of their employees to be on-site any time the ice is open for liability and to ensure proper use of the equipment. The decision to hire seasonal staff or ask volunteers to donate their time to staff the rink is up to your organization and their vision for the project, but I understand the needs to be significant. For the safety of everyone, the equivalent of “life guards” have to be on hand to ensure there’s no funny business going on and who can lend a hand to anyone who can’t find their sea legs or has fallen and they can’t get up. I personally recommend that a volunteer medical person be on hand at least during the busiest times but I would check to see if your organization’s insurance company requires medical standby.

When we talk about artificial ice, the conversation basically starts all over with a whole host of new questions AND it opens the discussion for an indoor ice rink which adds yet another line of questioning, all centered around the logistics of setting up the ice with it’s accompanying areas as well as space and power needs.

When I was in Vienna, Austria, I saw the most amazing outdoor ice rink setup I’ve ever encountered. My husband and I walked around and I took copious pictures so that when my project is ready for implementation, I have a grand vision for what it could possibly look like.

Have you planned an outdoor ice rink? What one thing did you learn? Share it here or
send me an email, I love learning from others’ experiences!

Or, if you’d like to hear about the amazing ice rink in Vienna, email me and let’s schedule some time to chat. It was truly over the top!

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