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Home ice advantage
Snow, water, patience and a cold day.
That's all it takes to make a backyard rink according to Howard Purchase of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland. And some plywood and plastic. Purchase has been making rinks for his kids for the past seven years, and has a nifty Web site where he and others share essential tips on how to create a backyard beauty.
Everybody from Buenavista to Bobcaygeon has their own technique (packing down snow for a base, flooding after midnight, using a plastic liner, or not). Some people install lights, major league boards and get fancy with blue lines and circles. You can even buy brackets and liners that help to shape and contain your ice surface from a company called Nicerink. But no matter how it gets done, it's all in the service of making winter more fun.
| And remember that size doesn't matter. For your first effort you may want to start small and grow them bigger as your technique and instincts improve. Mr. Purchase is happy with a modest rink (19 by 45 feet) that fits snugly in his suburban backyard, although his first attempts resulted in a 10 by 10 foot rink that was perfect for his then-toddlers.
But, you may ask, is all the work worth it when you could simply use a community rink, not so far away? It is if you like skating under the moonlight, throwing impromptu skating parties and meeting neighbours. A backyard rink is a way to connect with other people in the community, a place where friends can play shinny, unwind, and reveal their characters by the degree of their willingness to shovel the ice!
As Jack Falla says in his excellent book, Home Ice: Reflections on Backyard Rink and Frozen Ponds, the best reason for building your own backyard rink is to "provide you and your family with those two most precious commodities - ice time and fun." Can you think of any better reason than that? |
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Internet Safety Tips
 Surfing the Internet can be a rewarding and educational experience for children, but there are dangers that parents should be aware of. Try our interactive tutorial and learn the keys to ensuring that your children are Web aware. |
| Parenting Tip | When disciplining your child, act quickly and decisively. Hesitate and you give your child time to whine or bargain, and you'll be more likely to cave in to his demands.
Originally published in FamilyFun magazine |
Internet Safety Tips
Surfing the Internet can be a rewarding and educational experience for children, but there are dangers that parents should be aware of. Try our interactive tutorial and learn the keys to ensuring that your children are Web aware. |
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