The ODR (outdoor rink) is buzzing once again in Humboldt.
Just before Christmas, work was completed for the outdoor rink at St. Dominic School. For the last decade, the rink at St. Dominic School has served as the primary outdoor rink for Humboldt since the closure of the rink located near Glenn Hall Park.
Soon, a second facility, the Jacob Leicht Memorial Rink, located near the Uniplex inside of Centennial Park, will open in the city.
Michael Ulriksen, Director of Community Leisure Services explains the process of creating the ice for the rinks, is a lengthy, that begins after the initial snowfall of winter, to allow city crews to create layers of ice on top of a cushion of snow.
If we can get some good, cold weather, we get out there and are able to freeze. Layer after layer until we get it thick enough, because the pad over at St. Dom’s is just a gravel base, we have to make sure that our ice is thicker than any little rocks or pebbles that might surfaced under there.”
Ulriksen added a couple of weeks without snow is beneficial for the city crews to create the ice so they can avoid delays caused by snow removal.
The timeline for making the ice is weather dependent Ulriksen explains.
“Sometimes it takes 2-3 weeks, all depending on the weather and conditions.” He added staff and additional resources factor into the timeline.
With work at the St. Dominic rink completed, crews have devoted their time to the ice surface at the Uniplex.
There are some notable differences between the two rinks. The surface at the Uniplex is an asphalt pad, and it’s three times larger than the one located at St. Dominic.
Currently there isn’t much water on the surface near the Uniplex. Ulriksen says they can begin to add more water this week, allowing them to build a solid base by the end of next week. He hopes that the second ice surface will be ready for public use by the end of January.
Both rinks have outdoor lighting, allowing for activity to continue into the evening.
While the rink at St. Dominic only has a bench to allow users to change from their boots to their skates, the other rink at Centennial Park is located near the washroom/concession building.
“People will be able to go into a warm heated area and be able to put their skates on and leave their boots in there while they're out enjoying the ice surface.” said Ulriksen.
He added they are still working on the hours of operation for the indoor building since it will need to be locked up each night.
Since cold weather helps for the creation of ice, the one thing that causes damage to it is warm temperatures.
Ulriksen says when it gets above zero, that is when caution should be taken around the ice.
“It definitely softens the surface of the ice up, so we definitely keep a closer eye on it when the temperatures get warmer andtry and encourage people to stay off it. If you find that your boots are sinking in or leaving. Then it's time to stay off the ace.”
The rinks will remain open as the weather dictates Ulriksen explains, noting usually around March is typically when mother nature causes the end of the outdoor surfaces.
Planning is underway for a grand opening of the Jacob Leicht Memorial Outdoor Rink, Ulriksen says they are aiming for an event in early February, with more details to come.
And if you’re not a skater, but still want to enjoy outdoor activities, there are walking trails that are groomed to allow for some foot traffic, that are located in areas including Water Ridge Park and Centennial Park.
Ulriksen encourages residents to take advantage of the winter outdoor recreational activities available in Humboldt.