Team effort: Neighbours in St. John's housing complex build front yard skating rink

How do you keep a neighbourhood with hundreds of kids occupied in the winter? You build a skating rink, say the people who live in Stabb Court in St. John's.

Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador Housing units in the neighborhood near Memorial University teamed up to build a large rink in front of several homes.

"We were kinda tired of the kids asking to go down to the [Bannerman Park] Loop and shoveling off ponds. We figured it would be easier if we had something by the door so, we got a few of our neighbours, shovelled it all out," said Ashley Noseworthy.

The group didn't have experience building an ice rink but worked together to figure it out. "The first attempt didn't work so, we went and got a tarp and flooded it," said Noseworthy on Monday.

She said it was a team effort and it took less than a day to get the rink up and running. "They all came out and helped so, tonight now everyone will get on it and go for a good skate."

There are 137 housing units in the neighbourhood and Noseworthy said there are hundreds of children living there.

"You don't really have much around here. You have to go to the Loop and it's kind of crowded down there. At least here, they'll all take turns. We'll have age groups so, it works out for everybody and it's close to everyone's house so, I'm excited."