In the heat of summer, ice-skating is the farthest thing from many people’s minds, however, Steinbach Parks and Recreation have already begun setting up local rinks.

Senior Parks and Arena Maintenance Worker Mike Pries says they just finished painting the lines of the T.G. Smith Arena last Thursday. He explains what they have to do next: “It takes about a week to build ice. We have a sprayer on the back of an RTV, You have to build up the ice one layer at a time, the thinner, the better.”

Mike Pries sprays fresh paint with water to solidify itRuss Dyck, the Director of Parks and Recreation, indicates the season in which the rink sat empty has been unusually short this year because the Steinbach Pistons made it so far in the playoffs back in May. He adds the Pistons Power Camp is already slated to use the rink again late this August. “This maintenance does [usually] stretch us a little bit on the Parks end of things,” Dyck mentions, “but with our dry summer mowing is a little slower than normal.”

“Some of the guys really love working at the rink here,” notes Dyck. Pries agrees that he really enjoys the painting and building up of the ice, adding that the respite from the heat is also always welcomed.

Dyck indicates there have been no big changes made to the T.G. Smith Arena in the past year, though parts of the building have received new paint jobs and new water bottle fill stations have been added to both arenas in Steinbach.