How long does it take to prep an ice rink?

[bcla]

Just thinking about it since my family just went to see Disney on Ice last weekend. I mean - I know in Oakland they just keep it there blank with the insulator on top, and probably only remove the ice for the circus.

However, I understand that for hockey the ice is laid first, then painted with the lines and other stuff, and finally an additional layer of ice is laid over the painted lines. Our first Disney on Ice show was in San Jose after the NHL season had started, and the ice was definitely a clean sheet without any hockey markings. The Sharks were on the road for two weeks though, so that might have been enough time to prep the ice.

 

[mandy200587]

I know we've had 24 hour turn around between hockey and concerts and the temperature is always colder in the arena when they do.

 

[bcla]

I know we've had 24 hour turn around between hockey and concerts and the temperature is always colder in the arena when they do.

I understand that simply placing the insulator on top is pretty fast (maybe 6 hours?). However, I was thinking the whole thing, down to either removing or repainting the lines and graphics for hockey.

Here's Madison Square Garden's switch from basketball to hockey (imagine the reverse):

I looked around and found this time-lapse for preparation from a bare rink with clear ice to full-on ready for an NHL game. This one actually starts off with ice, but they have to paint the entire surface white first before laying on more ice.

They draw circles the old fashioned way with a rope. I thought the graphics were painted on, but apparently they're printed and the buried under the ice.

Here's the time lapse for Levi's Stadium's conversion for hockey:

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=749892

 

[mandy200587]

I understand that simply placing the insulator on top is pretty fast (maybe 6 hours?). However, I was thinking the whole thing, down to either removing or repainting the lines and graphics for hockey.

Here's Madison Square Garden's switch from basketball to hockey (imagine the reverse):

I looked around and found this time-lapse for preparation from a bare rink with clear ice to full-on ready for an NHL game. This one actually starts off with ice, but they have to paint the entire surface white first before laying on more ice.

They draw circles the old fashioned way with a rope. I thought the graphics were painted on, but apparently they're printed and the buried under the ice.

Here's the time lapse for Levi's Stadium's conversion for hockey:

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=749892

Okay gotcha! I think it may be two days at least here, I can't find the original videos on the site but there was this one on youtube that the painting was done in a day.

I've had to dig to find out, here's another time lapse they do the paint in about a day http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/video/timelapse-video-predators-prep-their-ice/1168403190001

 

[TwizzleMouse]

Just thinking about it since my family just went to see Disney on Ice last weekend. I mean - I know in Oakland they just keep it there blank with the insulator on top, and probably only remove the ice for the circus.

However, I understand that for hockey the ice is laid first, then painted with the lines and other stuff, and finally an additional layer of ice is laid over the painted lines. Our first Disney on Ice show was in San Jose after the NHL season had started, and the ice was definitely a clean sheet without any hockey markings. The Sharks were on the road for two weeks though, so that might have been enough time to prep the ice.

For the circus and basketball, concerts etc they just lay lumber boards over the ice surface it to protect the ice. And then put down a "floor" as well as take down the glass and boards.

 

[bcla]

Okay gotcha! I think it may be two days at least here, I can't find the original videos on the site but there was this one on youtube that the painting was done in a day.

I've had to dig to find out, here's another time lapse they do the paint in about a day http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/video/timelapse-video-predators-prep-their-ice/1168403190001

Looks like they started without any ice and they're pouring water to make the initial layer of ice. Also - they're painting with a really long hose from the sprayer to the paint source. Looks like one guy holds/applies the sprayer and there's eight other guys just holding onto the hose. It'll probably kink if they don't do that and it would probably also start whipping around like an unsecured fire hose. In San Jose they're spraying with a machine that has a driver.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I would guess that Disney on ice is skating on ice that's over white paint, that's over hockey paint. So they aren't getting rid of the hockey lines, they're just covering them with white paint and a couple fresh trips with the zamboni, then they do the reverse when Disney on Ice leaves.

My guess is that painting the ice solid white and zamboniing (sp?) it doesn't take any more time than covering the ice with the insulator and a new floor, and then removing the floor and the cover and zamboniing again.

I really wish Zamboniing was a word.

 

[bcla]

I would guess that Disney on ice is skating on ice that's over white paint, that's over hockey paint. So they aren't getting rid of the hockey lines, they're just covering them with white paint and a couple fresh trips with the zamboni, then they do the reverse when Disney on Ice leaves.

My guess is that painting the ice solid white and zamboniing (sp?) it doesn't take any more time than covering the ice with the insulator and a new floor, and then removing the floor and the cover and zamboniing again.

I really wish Zamboniing was a word.

My kid falls in love with certain words. One is "Gucci". Another is "Zamboni". I remember being at a mall with a small temporary outdoor rink, and they had one of the smaller Zamboni models. I think it was propane powered. I took my kid out just to see it in action. It went up a ramp to the ice level, stalled, and wouldn't start. We got to see one in Oakland, but that one was pretty plain looking. Nothing like the shark fins they put on the machines in San Jose.

Still - I thought that they can't just keep on stacking ice/paint/ice/paint. At some point they're going to have to let the whole thing melt and start from scratch. Or you're thinking maybe use a resurfacer to simply scrape off enough each time it has to be prepped for something different. Also - stuff like rodeos must be interesting since there's so much dirt.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I'm guessing that they do pretty much stack ice/paint/ice/paint. They repaint the lines for hockey pretty often anyways, and they're adding layers of ice every time they zamboni.

 

[TwizzleMouse]

To add to the fun here. They also have to make the ice a different temperature for ice shows/figure skating than they do hockey. The pro ice shows like the ice around 32 degrees Farenheit nothing more or less.

 

[bcla]

I'm guessing that they do pretty much stack ice/paint/ice/paint. They repaint the lines for hockey pretty often anyways, and they're adding layers of ice every time they zamboni.

However, they scrape off the uneven ice first before laying down water. It's like a big Bic razor for the ice. Cold water is laid before the ice to wash it, then hot water is sprayed behind to create the smooth surface. All of these functions can be independently controlled.

I could have sworn I smelled some sort of exhaust last weekend, and it was definitely Zamboni and not that other company that will not be named. I think the one they used in Oakland was gasoline powered.