Town of Olds 156
Natural Ice Rinks
Pre-season Preparation and Flooding Process
Site Selection
The ground should be level and flat, free of debris, rocks and stumps.
To help protect the ice, utilize any available source of shade.
There must be a ready supply of water, preferably from a controlled source
(tap). It is important that the flow can be regulated.
Bank the area with snow, banking contains the water and ice from flooding
adjoining area.
Starting the Rink
Build up a two-inch (5cm) layer of frost in the soil before starting the rink by
thoroughly soaking the ground when freezing weather is expected. The
objective is to form an ice seal. Once the seal has been established, ice can
be built up.
Using a layering technique, the ice can be built to a thickness of over 5 “ and
once made is extremely durable.
Equipment
Nozzles
Avoid plastic nozzles, which tend to freeze and crack in the cold — brass is
your best bet.
Whatever you use, the idea is to diffuse the water spray. Without the spray
capability, ice production will be poor.
It is handy to have a shut off valve on the nozzle.
Hoses
Use good quality rubber hose.
Use a reel for easier handling and storage of the hose.
Before storing, drain the hose to prevent freeze-up and possible splitting.
Store hoses in a heated room.
When flooding, watch for leaks in the hose, at joints and from the nozzle.
Do not leave the hose out during breaks — it will likely freeze.
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Town of Olds Page 2
Natural Ice Rinks
Preparation and Flooding Process (Pre-Season)
Ice Making Technique
The most suitable temperature range for making ice is between —7 C and —
17C.
Floodwater from a residential source (at 4.4 C) contains enough heat that it
will melt the ground frost.
Avoid attempting to build an ice rink fast flooding an entire area. Do not use
large open hose methods allowing the water to pour onto the ground. The
water may thaw the frost in the soil and the water will quickly drain away.
Use a gradual spray technique to get a layering effect of the ice. The
objective is to build the ice up. Do not try to do it all in one night of flooding.
Each ice layer is built upon the previous and allowed to set before the next
flood is applied.
Total flooding is the slowest and least desirable method of building a rink.
When the air temperature is around freezing a fine spray is used to build up
the ice surface. As the temperature decreases the water droplet size should
increase — use a coarser spray.
You want constant water pressure, even spray, and no freeze-ups.
The objective of spraying or flooding the ice is to fill the voids and obtain a
smooth surface.
The ideal way to build up a smooth ice surface is with the use of hot water,
which will actually melt into the ice surface forming a greater bond.
Water is applied in a spraying motion and not just spewed across the ice.
Start at one end of the rink and apply an even spray across the width,
covering a strip five to eight feet wide.
Progressively work down the ice, watering in overlapping strips, until the
entire rink has been sprayed.
The end of the rink you started with should be frozen by the time you finish
the other end.
Do not drag the hose through freshly flooded areas. Drag the hose behind
you.
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Natural Ice Rinks
‘Preparation and Flooding Process (Pre-Season)
[ce Making Technique ...con't
Do not leave the hose unattended. If not being used during flooding, make
sure the nozzle is outside the rink so there is no build up of water and the
hose will not cut into the ice.
In addition, the hose will cut into the ice if it is allowed to sit too long in one
place on the ice during flooding. If a partner is available have them keep the
hose moving for you or wrap the hose with a rope thereby keeping the hose
up off the ice surface.
Use a hose that does not leak.
Maintenance of the Ice Surface
Have a good selection of level scrapers — quality steel hand scrapers, .
shovels, and ice edgers with sharp edges to scrape and pick up snow and
ice.
Thoroughly clean the ice of ice ships, flakes, snow and dirt before each flood.
Using a good stiff broom sweep the ice all around the rink at the base of the
boards or edge of the ice. This area is seldom skated on and can build up into
a ridge. Use an ice edger to remove any high spots.
Scrape the rest of the ice using a steel scraper and remove all scrapings.
Pull the hose onto the ice but leave the nozzle outside the boards, then turn
on the water. The hose should be manually controlled at all times.
Use the same flooding technique as described earlier. Make sure the edge of
the ice coat is wet so that each strip will butt to its neighbor without forming
ridges.
Do not try to flood too wide a strip at any one pass.
Keep the nozzle moving and work quickly.
With experience, the icemaker will be able to judge the best width and the
speed of the work will depend on the temperature.
Have the proper air temperatures (ideal is from —7C to —17 C)
Flood in late evening, at night or early morning.
Make sure the surface is frozen and set before applying the next flood.
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Natural Ice Rinks :
Preparation and Flooding Process (Pre-Season)
Maintenance of the Ice Surface ...cont
= To repair major cracks and cuts, fill with a slush of snow and warm water
mixed in a slush bucket. Simply flooding the crack is not enough.
« Remove snow from the ice surface as soon as possible.
= Put all equipment away for safe keeping after being used.
Shell Ice
« These are air pockets between the layers of ice, which form white patches.
= Improper flooding and inadequate banking cause it. Too much water is put
down during the flood (simply poured onto the surface causing an excess).
The surface freezes and the water underneath drains away leaving the shell.
= |nadequate banking causes seepage allowing the water to escape from the
rink during flooding. The banking is to hold the water in place until it freezes.
= To repair, chip down to the air pocket and fill with slush to patch and cover the
area. Flood to smooth off.
Always be safety conscious and dress appropriately for the job and weather.
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