The worker in this picture is welding pipes that will become part of the floor freezing system for rink 1 at the Community Center. The white material on the floor covers a layer of yellow foam board insulation that covers a layer of sand. Within that layer of sand is a network of pipes that carry an insulating liquid, like anti-freeze, that keeps the ground beneath the ice rink from freezing and thawing. This is important because the annual freeze-thaw cycle, if it were allowed to run its natural course, would destroy the integrity of the floor and the rink.
The network of freezing pipes, once they are all welded together and connected across the entire rink floor will be buried by another layer of sand. The freezing pipes will carry a type of freon that, when activated, will freeze the sand in which they are encased. Then our staff will spray water on the frozen sand. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And presto: Ice.
We are moving into the start of indoor ice season very quickly. The rink 1 project is not done, but we are working closely with the contractor to search for ways we can get the job done quicker, yet preserve the quality we are looking for. Right now, we think we can get the rink opened up by the first of November. We’d like to shoot for an October opening date if we can.
For people who are interested in getting a regular update on the status of the project, the City has posted regular updates about the rink 1 project at its website: www.edenprairie.org.
On another completely unrelated note:
Music fans everywhere (OK, maybe not everywhere) should mourn the passing of a legend from my childhood: Johnny Ramone, dead at the age of 55. We’ll miss you, Johnny.
