Ice Rink

What does it take to build the community rink?
It takes a village. Naw, just kidding. It takes volunteers.  That’s you!

Our rink is operated through a grant from the City of Ottawa given to Carleton Heights and Area Residents Association (CHARA). Residents must build and maintain the rink according to a grant agreement. If possible residents should carryout one main activity like a winter fair. The city’s Program Coordinator provides the lights and boards. As time goes on they will evaluate our operation on the quality of Ice, ice maintenance, field house maintenance, supervision, organization and the attendance. CHARA’s rink has been highly rated!

  • At the beginning of the season volunteers are required to: Help clear away the leaves and debris in order to prepare for the base ice. We have rakes and a leaf blower (though the kindness of a neighbour). Depending on weather this could start in November after the leaves have fallen.
  • Next volunteers are needed to create a BASE. The first step in building an ice surface; consists of two phases, the first being to establish a layer of frozen slush and the second being to apply water to ultimately get a smooth surface.
  • At certain points the slush / snow needs to be flatten and smoothed out. Often parents will pull their kids on toboggans and such, up and down the rink area to create the smoothness. 
  • Throughout the rink season the work involves snow clearing (CHARA owns a snowblower), patching and flooding. Flooding requires one person to hold the nozzle and others to hold and walk the hose over the rink area. Through the kindness of two neighbours our rink is cleaned up after heavy snowfalls using their snowplow trucks. 

What is Flooding all about?
Applying water to the surface to both smooth the surface and build up ice thickness.

What effect does a Major Snowstorm have for volunteers?
Any storm that drops a significant accumulation of snow: Snow removal must be initiated immediately and a surface in skating condition must be established as soon as possible, or within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall.

What effect does a Minor Snow storm have for volunteers?
Any storm that drops a minimal amount of snow: Snow should be cleared immediately and a surface in skating condition must be established as soon as possible, or within 12 hours of the end of the snowfall.

What is a Puddle Rink?A single ice surface with a minimum 1,600 square foot total ice surface. To be included with a Rink (as described below), where land and park permits are available. No pucks are allowed on puddle rinks if skaters are using it.

What is Pebbled Ice?
The bumpy ice that results from flooding while it is snowing or flooding without properly scraping the ice surfaces first.

Scraper
A long-bladed shovel designed for pushing snow. At end of day or evening, skaters and hockey players are asked to help scrape the ice rink before they leave.

For volunteer work descriptions click here. Scroll down in that document.

The rink operates from December 15 to February 28 if weather permits.

  • Monday to Friday, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 pm.
  • Rink Manual 2016-17.  (intense reading)

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Rink Volunteers provide friendly reminders for us all to enjoy the rink together. Volunteers can contact 3-1-1 to report concerns where reminders are not effective.

We will continue to follow directives provided to us from the Province and Ottawa Public Health.