Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
The Jubilee Arena in Wakaw has once again become a summer place for hockey athletes to continue their training or just have some fun.
The synthetic ice surface was ready for off-season training roughly three weeks ago, utilizing the arena in the afternoons after Kids Club has wrapped up.
“It is a way for the newest skaters to be able to get on their skates on a surface that’s not as slippery as ice. It’s good for skating skills, agility skills, puck handling, and shooting skills for players of all ages and skill levels,” said Dwane Burke, Recreation & Community Development Manager for the Town of Wakaw.
The Town of Wakaw purchased approximately 16 used interlocking sheets, which together form the synthetic surface, in February 2022. It is a commercial style product, rather than the small, at-home types that are popular. The surface is promoted for users of all ages and skills.
Users ten years of age and under must be supervised by an adult, and helmets must be worn when users are on skates. Users are permitted to wear shoes instead of skates on the surface, if they choose, but shoes must be clean. Due to the size of the surface, for safety reasons, no more than four individuals are to be on the surface at the same time.
The synthetic ice surface looks, feels and performs just like real ice, and is perfect for any skater looking to elevate their game. Synthetic ice gives young hockey players and skaters an ice surface on which to play and practice without having to wait for cooler temperatures. In these days of expensive and scarce ice-time, with synthetic ice, kids can just lace up the skates and go. With access to synthetic ice during the summer, athletes can work on skill development in the areas of stick handling, shooting and passing, as well as goal-tending before hockey season starts.
As for skating on this material, which is a type of plastic, the ice is polished using a generic brand furniture polish, Burke shared. There is a special product made expressly to help create the slippery surface, but the Town has not purchased this due to its significantly high cost. They learned through research, however, that all that is needed is a furniture polish, which makes the surface quite slippery. The polished surface allows skates to glide just like on ice, even though synthetics have not yet been able to fully duplicate the properties of real ice. More effort is required to skate on the synthetic surface, although this side effect can be positive for resistance training. It is estimated that synthetic ice achieves about 90 percent of the glide factor of natural ice.
The synthetic surface does get gouged up somewhat, especially as the polish starts to wear off. Skate blades dull quicker than on ice, but the blades do not get damaged. This is a common factor for most synthetic ice products. Research and development in synthetic ice technology have significantly improved its skating qualities. Engineers have specifically designed special polymer materials for skating, along with unique lubricants that are compatible with these polymers. These lubricants are absorbed by the surface, reducing stickiness and preventing the attraction of contaminants while providing an ice-like glide. Additionally, advancements in production and assembly methods have enhanced the smoothness at the seams between panels. Some of the newest pro-series products no longer require the lubricants or ‘glide enhancers’, and report less of a premature dulling of skate blades.
While obviously not restricted to warmer climates, synthetic ice surfaces are popular in places such as Qatar, Bermuda, Mexico, and Australia. Synthetic ice is marketed under brand names including Glice, Xtraice, PolyGlide Ice, CanIce, and Global Synthetic Ice.
The first reported use of plastics as a substitute for ice in ice skating occurred in the 1960s, using materials like polyoxymethylene, developed by DuPont in the early 1950s. In 1982, High Density Plastics introduced the first full-size synthetic skating floor. This floor was constructed using interlocking panels made of high-density polyethylene, which could be transformed into an ice rink when sprayed with a special gliding fluid. However, the surface required cleaning and respraying once a month. In its dry form, the panels could also be used for other indoor sports.
A typical synthetic ice rink will consist of many panels of thin surface material assembled on top of a sturdy, level and smooth sub-floor to create a large skating area. The most common material used is high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a material with a high-strength-to-density ratio, that is used in the production of plastic bottles, corrosion-resistant piping, toys and playground equipment, and plastic lumber, to name but a few.
Available until September 15, the regular hours for using the synthetic ice are 12:30 – 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Times and availability may change without warning, so users are encouraged to call or text first. The surface can be available outside of the regular hours, and those too can be arranged by contacting 306-213-7703. One-time use fees are $2/person or $5/family, while season passes are $20/person or $40/family.
