Our Canadian sales team worked hard on this, and this week our company president, Perry Boskus, is helping oversee the installation of the first fully-lined full-size Super-Glide synthetic ice rink at the Archie Simpson Arena in Fort Chipewyan, Canada! We are very excited about this, and will be posting updates of this project throughout its construction.
Before we begin, here is the official press release:
Year-round skating for Fort Chipewyan residents with synthetic ice
(Fort McMurray, AB – September 30, 2010) – Synthetic ice will be installed in the Archie Simpson Arena in Fort Chipewyan next week, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced today.
Installation of the state-of-the-art year-round skating surface will commence on October 4, 2010 and will take approximately four to five days to complete.
“We are thrilled to have this asset in our community, and to be able to offer the residents of Fort Chipewyan year-round access to an activity that was so strongly desired,” said Mayor Melissa Blake. “This is yet another demonstration of our Municipality’s innovative spirit when it comes to improving service delivery.”
The installation of synthetic ice in Fort Chipewyan was approved by Council in November 2009, as it provides a cost effective option to provide year round skating. The approval followed a pilot project for synthetic ice use in Wood Buffalo that saw a temporary surface installed at the Syncrude Timberlea Athletic Park in Fort McMurray in the summer of 2009 and a trial run of synthetic ice use in the Archie Simpson Arena during its September 2009 grand opening.
“The feedback from the pilot project was overwhelmingly positive,” said John Mulhall, Supervisor, Facilities. “Ice users from young to old were pleased with the product. We’re very excited to present this as a full-time skating option to the public in Fort Chipewyan and eventually the rest of Wood Buffalo too.”
The synthetic ice in the Archie Simpson Arena is being installed by Wilco Contractors with the assistance from Global Synthetic Ice using their Super-Glide surface. The manufacturer has identified that synthetic ice is very close to natural or artificial ice in its capability to support recreational and professional ice sports. The product requires only inexpensive routine monthly maintenance with a liquid restorative. The product has a life span of approximately ten years per side and would provide year-round usage.
The Municipality is currently exploring other regional options for synthetic ice usage, including outdoor rinks in Fort McMurray and southern hamlets.