Maintaining an Ice Rink at Your Recreation Center

Ice maintenance is a key component of a successful ice skating recreation center. If your ice surface is not properly cared for, ice sports won’t be able to be properly performed. If you want your clientele to return to your recreation center you need to offer a product worth returning to. In addition, performing proper maintenance reduces expenses and increases your potential profit margin. Sports Facilities Management is an expert in managing and developing sports facilities and today we are going to discuss ice rink maintenance.

What is the Benefit of Regular Ice Maintenance?

First and foremost, regular ice maintenance allows you to offer your best possible product. The product you are selling to your customer is the quality of your ice. While skating or hockey lessons may be a facet of your business model, all of these depend on a quality ice surface. If your visitors know that you are going to have a dependable, quality ice surface they are more likely to become regular recreation center customers.
In addition, performing regular maintenance reduces your energy costs. The thicker your ice, the more difficult to maintain a proper temperature and the harder your compressor will need to work to keep the temperature stable. This is why regular maintenance to keep the ice layer as thin as possible while still remaining safe is one of the keys to a successful ice rink recreation center.

Planning Recreation Center Ice Rink Maintenance

Planning your maintenance and committing to that schedule is the key to running a successful recreation center ice rink. Some of the factors you need to keep in mind when planning your maintenance routine are:

• Usage – Who is going to be using your rink? Are your customers going to be primarily figure skaters, hockey players, or families? How often is your rink in use? If your rink is primarily adult hockey players  it’s going to need maintenance more often a rink that is primarily used by youth figure skaters. These factors are important for learning how to improve the quality of your product.
• Ice and Arena Temperature – Figure skaters and families prefer a warmer building with an ice temperature in the mid 20’s. Hockey players tend to prefer a colder arena with hard, fast ice. Learning your market helps you to cater to their preferences, and get return customers to your recreation center.
• Methods of Resurfacing – Does your ice resurfacer have a board brush? Do you regularly edge your ice? Are you using warm or cold water to resurface with? All of these factors will impact your maintenance schedule.

Contact Sports Facilities Management For More Information

We have experts for every type of sports facility. If you are interested in starting your own ice rink sports complex or improving an existing facility we are the company to call. We have representatives ready to take your call and help manage or develop your sports complex to its full potential.