- It’s a “third place” gathering spot for the community
- It’s good for the health of individuals
- It’s a place to make memories
You might be surprised at how many outdoor ice rinks we build, given that the core of our business is the indoor community ice rink. For example, we build outdoor ice rinks in community parks, in city centers and even in local shopping center parking lots during the holiday season. For a community, the outdoor ice rink we make possible is a little different than the indoor rink; it tends to be more of a social, less competitive, and more relaxing environment.
A neighborhood, outdoor skating rink provides that “third place,” as described by Ray Oldenburg, an urban sociologist. In his book, “The Great Good Place,” Oldenburg writes about the importance of informal, public gathering places. He believes “Life without community has produced, for many, a lifestyle consisting mainly of a home-to-work-and-back-again shuffle. Social well-being and psychological health depend upon community and the ‘third places.’” Whether in an urban city center or suburban neighborhood, an ice rink is a “third place” where like-minded people can socialize and connect.
Another good reason is that outdoor recreation, like ice skating, has health benefits. Ice skating reduces stress. It also improves an individual’s aerobic, cardiovascular and muscular fitness. In addition, the sunlight and physical activity found at ice rinks have been shown to relax and cheer people up. Spending time at an ice rink even helps people be more productive at work and in school.
Given the choice to ice skate indoors or outdoors, many people will choose to skate outdoors. In many cases, skating outside reminds adults of when they were kids, skating on the local ponds — perhaps playing pickup hockey, a game of pom pom pull away or meeting someone for a date. Fond memories are strong at ice rinks.
So it seems there is not a downside to the increasing number of outdoor ice rinks being built and maintained. Quality of life. Every year brings with it a new list of the top places to live and work, with one of the major categories being quality of life. I suppose that’s what I’m really talking about here. An outdoor ice rink improves a community’s quality of life.
Becker Arena Products, Inc. has been helping build community by providing Outdoor Ice Rink Dasher Board Systems to cities, schools, and parks and recreation departments since 1988. We offer 4 basic outdoor systems, all customizable and all available with or without portable or permanent refrigeration systems. For more pictures and information on click on the Products tab above.
- BAP 4.0 Outdoor Ice Rink Dasher System presents the traditional look of the outdoor wood hockey boards system. This system utilizes a galvanized steel structure with treated lumber for years of service.
- BAP 6.0 Outdoor Dasher System is perfect for outdoor inline, ice hockey and recreational skating. This system is built strong for indoor ice hockey the difference here is in the material used to withstand the outdoor elements.
- PRO Series Aluminum Frame Outdoor Dasher System gives you the strength and durability you need for permanent installations, yet its light weight makes it ideal for ease of handling where changeovers are required. For outdoor installations we offer our 3” wide frame depth or 5” wide frame depth depending on application.
- BAP Custom Railing System often used for recreational skating areas in inner city or shopping mall settings. There are many custom options for this system.
Author: Gail Becker
Editor: Virginia Farris
