An outdoor rink that will serve the community for years to come

Anyone passing by Tisdale’s outdoor skating rink this winter will have noticed some big changes since last year. A new rink was put in last June, replacing the wooden rink that served the town for over 20 years. In spite of the colder-than-average winter, some hardy souls were seen braving the cold and testing out the new turf, with great results.

The new outdoor rink came to fruition thanks to the Lions Club and Kinsmen jointly. These two clubs, as well as their female counterparts, are instrumental in helping the town with all kinds of community projects, and they are particularly proud of this one. Kinsman Nathan Phillips managed the project from start to finish:

Tisdale's new outdoor rink, Feb. 2014

“The success of the outdoor rink project stems from the countless hours invested by past and present club members, not to mention the generosity of the businesses and individuals that have donated or attended these events.”

Tisdale’s new outdoor rink is expected to last 40 years with very little maintenance required, due to the use of galvanized steel and UV resistant puck board, instead of wood. Another noticeable improvement is the addition of a second skating area between the new rink and the warm-up shack.

“The free skate area will allow for a more relaxing experience,” noted Phillips, “as pucks and sticks normally will not be used there.”

The total cost for the new rink rang in at $62,000, all of which was generated through fundraising events such as the Lions Farmers Golf Tournaments and the Kinsmen and Kinettes annual Steak and Lobster suppers.

All the machines involved in the construction – as well as much of the materials used – were donated, not to mention the man hours – about 800 volunteer hours, estimated Phillips.

“The 30-plus volunteers who contributed their time to the construction of this rink did an amazing job,” he affirmed. “They ground through whatever conditions were thrown at them, either mud-packed boots, blazing sun, or pouring rain.”

Phillips is very proud of their achievement, and mentioned how impressed Canadian Arena Products’ installation supervisor Nick Etchells was with the effort put into building the rink, especially where the foundation and cement piles were concerned.

“One aspect of the project we take pride in is the foundation that the rink is sitting on, even though it is not actually visible,” said Phillips. “Foundations can often be overlooked or seen as a way to cut costs, but not the one on Tisdale’s new outdoor rink.”

He added that the specifications of the cement piles were the best that Canadian Arena Products had ever seen one of their rinks placed upon, and that it far exceeds their recommendations.

Phillips and his fellow Lions and Kinsmen would like to acknowledge the efforts put forth by the many people who were involved with the project, from its conception to its finish.