BY STEVEN JUPITER
PROCTOR—While many folks have appreciated the relatively mild winter so far, enthusiasts of outdoor winter recreation have been deprived of some of their favorite pastimes. Mild temperatures have meant no snow and no ice. But this week, people who have been hankering to ice skate will finally have their chance in Proctor: lower temps mean it’s possible to open the ice rink.
Preparations are underway to flood and freeze a concrete expanse to create a smooth, skate-able surface. The same expanse of concrete serves as a roller-skating rink in the warmer months.
Megan Cannucci, who manages the facility with her husband, Brian, said, “we spray layers of ice with a fire hose [to create the rink.]” It can take more than 24 hours of spraying to build up enough ice to skate on safely. Andre Greb, who coaches girls’ varsity basketball at Proctor High School, is the wizard who executes the transformation.
The rink does not charge admission and skates are free to borrow. The rink has child’s size 8 to adult’s size 13. On-site donations to maintain the facility are accepted. There’s also an indoor concession stand where beverages and snacks are available for purchase.
PROCTOR ICE- GETTING it ready by flooding the surface on a cold day.
“The rink is always supervised,” said Cannucci. “And we have four security cameras on the rink at all times. We haven’t really had any problems, but the kids know if they misbehave, we’ll call their parents.”
Cannucci hopes to have the rink ready for skaters by the end of the week (Feb. 5 or 6). The hours are Monday through Friday 3:30 – 9:00 pm and Saturday/Sunday 12 noon – 9:00 pm.
The rink is located behind Proctor High School.
Whether you’re ready to land a triple-triple or just want to glide around with friends, head over to Proctor this weekend and get out on the ice!
