Backyard rink a labour of love for this Ottawa dad
'There's always that quest for perfect ice,' says Trevor Stewart
Backyard rinks are making a big comeback this winter as more families seek out ways to keep active without straying far from home.
For proof, look no further than your local hardware store. Remember this summer's shortage of trampolines, kayaks and garden seeds? Add outdoor rink (ODR) accessories such as plastic liners to the list, according to Ottawa DIY rink maven Trevor Stewart.
It beckons you. There's always that quest for perfect ice.- Trevor Stewart, backyard rink enthusiast
Stewart, a seven-year veteran of the backyard rink scene, belongs to a Facebook group called Backyard Ice Hockey Rinks, which has added 1,200 members in the past two weeks.
"There are possibly thousands of people building rinks this year for the first time, or at least thinking about it because of COVID," said Stewart, 41, a hockey coach and father of two sons.
"People know they're homebound. Hockey leagues are closed. People are looking to get their kids on the ice."
This year, Stewart, a Health Canada employee who's been working from home, has doubled the size of the rink in his Old Ottawa South backyard to 12 by 7.6 metres. He's calculated it takes 26,000 litres of water to flood it.
"I did the calculation because I needed to figure out whether I wanted to use tap water or truck some water in. I wanted to see what would be less expensive."
Tap water was the way to go, Stewart said — about $90 worth, according to his calculations. He's also shelled out for a new polyethylene liner, 2 by 6 planks for the boards and plywood sheets for the backboard.
Then there's the time investment. "I'm afraid to calculate [that], because once you see that number it may blow your mind," said Stewart, who figures he spends between 30 and 90 minutes a day on his ODR.
This year, inspired by the souped-up rinks he's seeing on the Facebook page, Stewart decided to up his game, installing LED lights under the opaque liner to create glowing blue and red lines. There's even a remote control to change colours. The aim isn't to create a disco vibe, "but hopefully some feverish hockey action," Stewart said.
Stewart started his backyard rink when his sons were very young. He didn't want to bundle them up and commute to a community rink.
He has his own fond memories of skating outdoors growing up in Nova Scotia. "Pictou Harbour was fun to skate on as a kid," he recalled. "Those memories bubble up and they make you want to continue that."
Those warm feelings come in handy when Stewart is out flooding the rink at –17 C, as he was during a recent cold snap.
"The temperature stops affecting you once you start putting the water on and seeing the steam rise up. The ice is so smooth and beautiful, and all of a sudden you don't notice the cold as much anymore," said Stewart. "It beckons you. There's always that quest for perfect ice."
He still has a way to go before the ice is thick enough and the bumpy spots are smoothed by the edges of small, swift skate blades.
"In a couple of weeks, it'll be arena-smooth," Stewart promised proudly.
