Whee! It’s like a Zamboni but on concrete. A newly installed latticework of glycol-filled pipes disappeared yesterday under a fresh layer of concrete which will take a month to cure. An opening in mid-December is the target, but the curing process can not be rushed. With lower electricity bills and fewer repairs, the upgrade should make for a more energy-efficient system with commensurate savings for the city. The rink dates to 1998 when freon was still in use. Wheeler Cowperthwaite has photos and a nifty video in the ProJo. (Fun fact: Only one inch of water is needed to create the skating surface. I did not know that.)
The skating rink is getting a $4.2-million makeover that should save the city money by replacing an outdated rink cooling system that was costing between $100,000 and $250,000 a year to operate, as well as extend the rink’s operating season with a set of all-season shade structures, Providence Parks Superintendent Wendy Nilsson said.
Nilsson is also excited about the “shade sails” going up at the north end this spring:
Nilsson is perhaps most excited about the new shade structures that will go above the rink. The sails will stay up all the time and are meant to provide shelter from stormy weather and slough off rain and snow. “It is really spectacular, and it’s unique and custom built for Providence,” she said.
The five-year naming rights are still available.
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Whee!