Rink Maintenance
“The ice rink requires daily maintenance, including checks at the beginning and end of each day, plus between each skate session to ensure public safety. We recommend an ice pad is resurfaced between skate sessions, during an allocated 15-minute changeover period every hour. ‘Redressing’ or ‘resurfacing’ the temporary ice rinks involves the removal of ‘snow’, which is the formation of small chips of ice caused by the action of the skate blades running over the hardened ice surface. The quantity of ‘snow’ varies, depending on the ambient temperature and skater numbers, and can be controlled to some extent by adjusting the refrigerant set-point temperature of the Chiller units. Rinks are typically ‘redressed’ by hand up to 450m² in size, with larger dimensions able to utilise mechanical resurfacing machines to increase the speed of maintenance.
Staff Training
Whether supplied by us, or recruited within the venue, an Ice Technician or Rink Manager tasked with maintaining the rink, will need to be on site up to one hour before the rink opens in the morning to complete the daily safety and infrastructure checks. Ice maintenance is also required, including filling in any localised damage caused by skate blades. The main resurfacing work is carried out at the end of the day, when the rink is clear. The resurfacing team could be on site for up to
one hour after closing, clearing the ‘snow’ and laying a thin layer of water across the rink surface to effectively form a fresh, perfectly level, smooth surface ready for the following morning. Arena Ice provide staff training covering everything that a Rink Manager needs to know, plus additional tailored support packages to suit individual needs and levels of experiences, including visits to other rinks and training on resurfacing equipment.
Ice Rink Costs
For a basic hire package, prices generally start around £30K for an entry level 180m² rink, up to £200K plus for a 1000m² rink with all supportive infrastructure, Ice Café Bar, Skate Exchange, Zamboni & Garage, Melt Pit, Skates, Skate Aids, etc. The event duration has a bearing on rental cost, to cover the equipment’s operational hours. Chiller ‘red diesel’ usage costs can be approximated by allowing 1 litre of fuel per square metre of ice, per day. This would also ensure sufficient power to operate lighting, sound and a basic structure heating package, taking into consideration that varying weather conditions will have an impact on total fuel usage. We recommend allowing 80-120 litres of water per square meter to fill the rink, this again may vary depending on the thickness required for a mechanically resurfaced rink. After which regularly ‘flooding’ can perfectly resurface the rink using minimal quantities of water.
JUNE/JULY 2016 11
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