Ice rink
Encyclopedia
An ice
rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate
or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey
, figure skating
and curling
as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows. There are two types of rinks in prevalent use today: natural, where freezing occurs due to cold ambient temperatures, and artificial (or mechanically-frozen), where a coolant
produces cold temperatures in the surface below the water, causing the water to freeze. There are also synthetic ice rinks, where skating surfaces are made out of plastics.
word meaning 'course', was used as the name of a place where another game, curling
, was played. The name has been retained for the construction of ice areas for other sports and uses.
Many ice
rinks consist of, or are found on, open bodies of water
such as lakes, ponds, canals, and sometimes rivers; these can only be used in the winter
in climates where the surface would freeze thickly enough to support human weight. Rinks can also be made in cold climates by enclosing a level area of ground, filling it with water, and letting it freeze. Snow
may even be packed to use as a containment material.
A famous example of this type of rink is the Rideau Canal Skateway
in Ottawa
, Canada
, estimated at 1764000 square feet (163,881 m²) and 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi) long, which claims to be the "world's largest ice skating rink." The rink is prepared by lowering the canal's water level, letting the canal water freeze due to the low winter temperatures. The rink is then resurfaced nightly by cleaning the ice of snow and flooding it with water from below the ice. The rink is recognized as the "world's largest naturally frozen ice surface" by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Another famous rink is the annual River Trail rink cleared on the Red River
at Winnipeg
, Canada
, which claims to be the "world's longest ice skating rink." The Trail is cleared by volunteers with snow shovels and is 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) long.
surface can be installed in a properly built space. This consists of a bed of sand, or occasionally a slab of concrete
, through (or on top of) which pipes run. The pipes carry a chilled fluid (usually either a salt brine or water
with antifreeze
, or in the case of smaller rinks, refrigerant
) which can lower the temperature of the slab so that water
placed atop it will freeze. Such rinks were developed in the late nineteenth century, the first being the Glaciarium
in London. This methodology is known as 'artificial ice' to differentiate from ice rinks made by simply freezing water in a cold climate, indoors or outdoors, although both types are of frozen water. A more proper technical term is 'mechanically frozen' ice.
A famous example of this type of rink is the Guidant John Rose Minnesota Oval
, a 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) rink in Roseville, Minnesota
, United States
. It is claimed to be the "largest artificial outdoor skating
surface" in North America. Another example is the outdoor rink at Rockefeller Center
in New York
.
rinks are constructed from a solid polymer material designed for skating using normal metal-bladed ice skates. High density polyethelene (HDPE) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) are the only materials that offer reasonable skating characteristics, with UHMW synthetic rinks offering the most ice-like skating, but also being the most expensive. A typical synthetic rink will consist of many panels (usually in typical building material sheet sizes) of thin surface material assembled on top of a sturdy, level and smooth sub-floor (anything from concrete to wood or even dirt or grass) to create a large skating area.
has been used, it is resurfaced using a machine called an ice resurfacer
(sometimes colloquially referred to as a Zamboni). For curling
, the surface is 'pebbled' by allowing loose drops of cold water
to fall onto the ice
and freeze into rounded peaks.
Between events, especially if the arena is being used without need for the ice
surface, it is either covered with a heavily insulated floor, or melted by heating the fluid in the pipes.
A highly specialized form of rink is used for speed skating
; this is a large oval
(or ring) much like an athletic track. Due to their limited use, speed skating ovals are found in much fewer numbers than is true of the more common hockey or curling rinks.
Those skilled at preparing arena ice
are often in demand for major events where ice
quality is critical. The level of the sport of hockey in Canada
has led its icemakers to be particularly sought-after. One such team of professionals was responsible for placing a loonie
coin under center ice at the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Utah
; as both Canadian teams (men's and women's) won their respective hockey gold medals, the coin was christened "lucky" and is now in the possession of the Hockey Hall of Fame
, after having been retrieved from beneath the ice.
, the rink size is 90–110 m (295.3–360.9 ft) x 45–65 m (147.6–213.3 ft).
rinks. Historically, earlier ice
rinks were smaller than today.
in Montreal
, Canada
.
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate
Ice skate
Ice skates are boots with blades attached to the bottom, used to propel the bearer across a sheet of ice. They are worn as footwear in many sports, including ice hockey, bandy and figure skating. The first ice skates were made from leg bones of horse, ox or deer, and were attached to feet with...
or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows. There are two types of rinks in prevalent use today: natural, where freezing occurs due to cold ambient temperatures, and artificial (or mechanically-frozen), where a coolant
Coolant
A coolant is a fluid which flows through a device to prevent its overheating, transferring the heat produced by the device to other devices that use or dissipate it. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, and chemically inert, neither causing nor...
produces cold temperatures in the surface below the water, causing the water to freeze. There are also synthetic ice rinks, where skating surfaces are made out of plastics.
Name origins
Rink, a ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
word meaning 'course', was used as the name of a place where another game, curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, was played. The name has been retained for the construction of ice areas for other sports and uses.
Natural ice rink
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
rinks consist of, or are found on, open bodies of water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
such as lakes, ponds, canals, and sometimes rivers; these can only be used in the winter
Winter
Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...
in climates where the surface would freeze thickly enough to support human weight. Rinks can also be made in cold climates by enclosing a level area of ground, filling it with water, and letting it freeze. Snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
may even be packed to use as a containment material.
A famous example of this type of rink is the Rideau Canal Skateway
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, estimated at 1764000 square feet (163,881 m²) and 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi) long, which claims to be the "world's largest ice skating rink." The rink is prepared by lowering the canal's water level, letting the canal water freeze due to the low winter temperatures. The rink is then resurfaced nightly by cleaning the ice of snow and flooding it with water from below the ice. The rink is recognized as the "world's largest naturally frozen ice surface" by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Another famous rink is the annual River Trail rink cleared on the Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
at Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which claims to be the "world's longest ice skating rink." The Trail is cleared by volunteers with snow shovels and is 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) long.
Artificial ice rink
In any climate, an arena iceIce
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
surface can be installed in a properly built space. This consists of a bed of sand, or occasionally a slab of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
, through (or on top of) which pipes run. The pipes carry a chilled fluid (usually either a salt brine or water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
with antifreeze
Antifreeze
Antifreeze is a freeze preventive used in internal combustion engines and other heat transfer applications, such as HVAC chillers and solar water heaters....
, or in the case of smaller rinks, refrigerant
Refrigerant
A refrigerant is a substance used in a heat cycle usually including, for enhanced efficiency, a reversible phase change from a liquid to a gas. Traditionally, fluorocarbons, especially chlorofluorocarbons, were used as refrigerants, but they are being phased out because of their ozone depletion...
) which can lower the temperature of the slab so that water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
placed atop it will freeze. Such rinks were developed in the late nineteenth century, the first being the Glaciarium
Glaciarium
The Glaciarium was the world's first mechanically frozen ice rink.An item in the 8 May 1844 issue of Littell's Living Age headed "The Glaciarium" reports that "This establishment, which has been removed to Grafton street East' Tottenham-court-road [sic],was opened on Monday afternoon...
in London. This methodology is known as 'artificial ice' to differentiate from ice rinks made by simply freezing water in a cold climate, indoors or outdoors, although both types are of frozen water. A more proper technical term is 'mechanically frozen' ice.
A famous example of this type of rink is the Guidant John Rose Minnesota Oval
Guidant John Rose Minnesota Oval
The Guidant John Rose Minnesota Oval is an outdoor ice rink in Roseville, Minnesota, United States. It is claimed to be the largest artificial outdoor skating surface in the North America. The facility was constructed from June to December 1993...
, a 100000 square feet (9,290.3 m²) rink in Roseville, Minnesota
Roseville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,690 people, 14,598 households, and 8,598 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,543.9 people per square mile . There were 14,917 housing units at an average density of 1,126.4 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is claimed to be the "largest artificial outdoor skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
surface" in North America. Another example is the outdoor rink at Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Construction
Modern rinks have a specific procedure for preparing the surface:- With the pipes cold, a thin layer of waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
is sprayed on the sand or concrete to seal and level it (or in the case of concrete, to keep it from being marked). - This thin layer is paintPaintPaint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
ed white or pale blue, for better contrast; markings necessary for hockey or curlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
are also placed, along with logos or other decorations. - Another thin layer of waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
is sprayed on top of this. - The iceIceIce is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
is built up to a thickness of 2–3 centimetres (around one inch) by repeated flows of water onto the surface.
Synthetic rink
SyntheticSynthetic ice
Synthetic ice is a solid polymer material designed for skating using normal metal-bladed ice skates. Rinks are constructed by interlocking panels...
rinks are constructed from a solid polymer material designed for skating using normal metal-bladed ice skates. High density polyethelene (HDPE) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) are the only materials that offer reasonable skating characteristics, with UHMW synthetic rinks offering the most ice-like skating, but also being the most expensive. A typical synthetic rink will consist of many panels (usually in typical building material sheet sizes) of thin surface material assembled on top of a sturdy, level and smooth sub-floor (anything from concrete to wood or even dirt or grass) to create a large skating area.
Operation
Periodically after the iceIce
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
has been used, it is resurfaced using a machine called an ice resurfacer
Ice resurfacer
An ice resurfacer is a truck-like vehicle or smaller device used to clean and smooth the surface of an ice rink. The first ice resurfacer was developed by Frank J. Zamboni in 1949 in the city of Paramount, California...
(sometimes colloquially referred to as a Zamboni). For curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, the surface is 'pebbled' by allowing loose drops of cold water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
to fall onto the ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
and freeze into rounded peaks.
Between events, especially if the arena is being used without need for the ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
surface, it is either covered with a heavily insulated floor, or melted by heating the fluid in the pipes.
A highly specialized form of rink is used for speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
; this is a large oval
Oval (geometry)
In technical drawing, an oval is a figure constructed from two pairs of arcs, with two different radii . The arcs are joined at a point, in which lines tangential to both joining arcs lie on the same line, thus making the joint smooth...
(or ring) much like an athletic track. Due to their limited use, speed skating ovals are found in much fewer numbers than is true of the more common hockey or curling rinks.
Those skilled at preparing arena ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
are often in demand for major events where ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
quality is critical. The level of the sport of hockey in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
has led its icemakers to be particularly sought-after. One such team of professionals was responsible for placing a loonie
Loonie
The Canadian 1 dollar coin is a gold-coloured, bronze-plated, one-dollar coin introduced in 1987. It bears images of a common loon, a bird which is common and well known in Canada, on the reverse, and of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.The design for the coin was meant to be a voyageur theme,...
coin under center ice at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
; as both Canadian teams (men's and women's) won their respective hockey gold medals, the coin was christened "lucky" and is now in the possession of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
, after having been retrieved from beneath the ice.
Backyard Ice Rinks
Backyard ice rinks can be built on relatively level ground in colder climates. If the ground is deeply frozen and poorly drained and the temperatures are quite cold, the snow can be plowed away from an area and the area simply flooded with water. If the ground is well-drained and/or not deeply frozen the water may simply run into the ground. Better results are obtained by impounding a pond of water using 2x4 or 2x6 boards and a poly liner. The boards are held on edge, on the outside of the rink, with heavy duty steel garden stakes sawn down to 18" lengths and deck screws. Use two stakes per board. Although clear and black poly is widely available, white poly is sold by greenhouse supply companies and looks better. Drape it over the top of the boards. To protect the edges of the liner from skates and snow shovels, add a second course of 2x4 boards, on edge, with a second set of steel stakes. On the rink side of this course of 2x4's fasten parallel 2x6's that will hang down into the water (soon to be ice) and cover the exposed liner. The boards should be fastened together, end to end and at the corners with steel mending plates found in home improvement stores. The whole assembly can be disassembled in spring and stored for use the next winter. The poly liner may last up to five seasons before it will need to be replaced. This sort of rink does not damage lawns.Speedskating
In speedskating, the official Olympic rink size is 30 x 60 meters for short track, and 400 meters for long track.Bandy
In bandyBandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
, the rink size is 90–110 m (295.3–360.9 ft) x 45–65 m (147.6–213.3 ft).
Ice Hockey
There are basically two rink sizes in use (as below), although there is a great deal of variations in the dimensions of actual iceIce
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
rinks. Historically, earlier ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
rinks were smaller than today.
National Hockey League (NHL) - Canada & USA
Official NHL rinks size at 85 foot. The dimensions originate from the size of the Victoria Skating RinkVictoria Skating Rink
The Victoria Skating Rink was an indoor skating rink located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which opened in 1862. The building was used during winter seasons for pleasure skating, ice hockey and skating sports on a natural ice rink. In summer months, the building was used for various other events,...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
International/Olympic Ice Hockey
Official Olympic/International rinks have dimensions of 30 metre. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, however, were played on an NHL sized 85 x 200 ft ice sheet as GM Place -renamed 'Canada Hockey Place' for the games- is an NHL venue for the Vancouver Canucks.External links
- Backyard Ice Rink
- Comprehensive list of ice skating rinks in the U.S. and CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...