PG’s Outdoor Ice Oval is up and running!
The Oval is open from 10:30 to 8:30 today, and admission is free for the first day of the season.
The Ice Oval Society’s Dick Voneugen says the conditions this weekend are ideal to hit the ice.
“It all depends on the weather. When it’s 25-30 below, not many people come out. Only the die-hards. But days like this, where it’s 13 below and a blue sky? It’s awesome.”
There are plenty of additions for the storied oval as it enters its 17th season, including a new building to house equipment, a new entrance on the west side, and the addition of the Canfor Warmup Hut, which provides a toasty spot to lace up the skates.
But the glassy surface of the oval doesn’t happen overnight, especially when it’s not ready for a zamboni!
A 16-person volunteer crew worked through the early morning to build the ice from the ground up.
“They have to start from scratch, it’s just gravel and clay,” explains Voneugen. “They flood that by hand, which takes a considerable effort, and a lot of time standing in the spray of that water with a temperature well below zero.”
But as time has proven, residents of Northern BC can deal with a little cold to get their skating fix.
“It’s an activity that’s been going on for 17 years, and through the season we’ve had close to 20,000 visitors in that period of time.”