As folks patiently await the opening of the full selection of the city’s fine outdoor skating venues, one local family this past weekend got the jump on the season by re-purposing space that many city homes have at their disposal.
After having in past years setup a backyard rink, Brandon’s Jeff Derlago and family brought the game inside to the cozier confines of their approximately 16 x 32 foot single car garage in Brandon with about six hours of work spread out over a handful of days.
Though the 3-4 inch thick surface is quite a bit smaller than the traditional 200 x 85 foot rink that a full hockey game would be played on, it’s a perfect spot for the family’s kids to enjoy winter including as a space for a young budding goaltender to practice the position he plays in youth hockey.
Being inside comes with its benefits, not the least of which being taking snow clearing out of the picture compared to what has to be done on outdoor rinks. There’s also a chance to play in more moderate temperatures, which is especially invaluable on winter’s coldest days. Anyone that’s shot pucks indoors will know that the convenience of playing inside come with the tradeoff of pucks leaving their share of wear and tear on walls and garage doors.
This is the second year for the indoor setup, with similar ice last year having been in place and usable for a full five months thanks in large part to the garage being well-insulated. Takedown in the spring is as simple as breaking up the softening chunks of ice and sending them outside to melt.
In terms of more traditional rinks, local community centres have begun to open their rinks to the public. Both Valleyview and West End Community Centres opened this past weekend with East End as well as the city’s Waterfall of Lights skating oval on the way in the not too distant future.
Photo: submitted