To fully
enclose an outdoor rink would be sacrilege for many purists. Yet, without some
sort of sheltering, community rinks are limited in many ways. Seasons tend to
be shorter because the sun melts the ice early and autumn sun allows the ground
to hold heat longer. A canopy, on the other hand, provides the shade needed to
mitigate the sun’s heat. Snow days are a welcome relief for workers who get a
day off when the weather is uncooperative. But open rinks become unusable as
snowfall increases, and volunteer (or worse, paid) labour is called upon to
clear the accumulations. Then there is rain. Climate change is hitting outdoor
rinks hard, with rain occurring in every month of the year in much of Canada.
Rain ruins rink ice. Sacrilege or not, the need to provide some shelter for
rinks is obvious.
A covered
rink can double as a skating rink or curling rink, as a recreational site or a
place to hold regular games. However, cost is the ultimate deciding criterion.
Today’s
tension-fabric structures are adaptable and flexible. Their inherent design
means that they can be fitted and configured to any size, layout or location,
without a substantial change in cost. Poly fabric buildings are lightweight,
easy to install and, best of all, inexpensive. This opens up the opportunity
for small communities to invest nominal amounts in a recreational facility that
benefits everyone.
Fabric
buildings can be constructed with fixed in place walls or with removable walls,
similar to party tent structures. This means that the resistance by purists is
overcome, since, in good weather, walls can be removed to allow for an open
feel. The remaining canopy provides protection against the sun and snow, and
even offers limited protection against wind – the evil partner of cold.
Interestingly,
the winter shelter offered by fabric structures for outdoor rinks also extends
the benefit into summer. The rink now can be used as an events venue, party
venue, or even rented for private, revenue-generating functions. This means
that fabric canopies can pay for themselves quickly.
An open
canopy also circumnavigates the need for adherence to building codes that apply
to permanent structures. This, in turn, reduces construction costs and ongoing
costs.
Maintenance
of fabric buildings is minimal, meaning that operating expenses are minimized
relative to wood or metal coverings.
With fabric, light filters through, so there is little need for the
daytime lighting that would be needed for wood or metal structures. At the same
time, there is no bleeding of moisture in early spring days, such as
experienced in metal buildings with bolt and nut extrusions in the
roofline. This reduces ice maintenance.
Local
communities that want to keep their outdoor rinks, or that can not afford to
enclose their inexpensive outdoor facility now can save money while installing
a poly-fabric complete cover or canopy. Even individual families or small
groups can afford to cover their own rink. With the lightweight nature of the
structure and the ease of installation, even location is not fixed, since it is
relatively easy to relocate moderate sized units. In fact, some can be
constructed on caster wheels or rollers, making them truly portable.
Ideally,
communities eyeing their future may consider building a fabric structure that
can be adapted or expanded, or to which insulated walls and other features or
amenities can be added. This provides
further cost benefit.
Covering an
outdoor rink is far from the sacrilege that purists claim, when the options
available in a tension fabric building are considered.
