This backyard hockey rink in Powell River will almost make you miss “winter”
Powtown Post is stoked to welcome a new contributor, Matt McDowell. Matt has been producing home movies since his teenage years. He recently had some of his video footage produced and uploaded by GoPro to their YouTube channel, showcasing some of Powell Rivers amazing spots and racking up over 100,000 views.
M.A.C.S. Outdoor Arena in Powell River, BC
Powell River is known for its mild winters, but on occasion we do see the odd cold snap. Since its opening day, November 23rd, 2010, M.A.C.S. outdoor arena (short for Matt, Austin, Carter, Sandra) has only seen 21 days of hockey action:
As long as the thermometer hits -3c and drops to -5c or -6c overnight, we can flood it overnight every 45-60mins (not much sleep those nights). At that rate, the arena can be open within 1-1.5 nights. It’s a lot of work just for a possible 2-4 days of skating, but well worth it.
Being a Journeyman Refrigeration Technician, my original plan was to actually install a mechanical refrigeration system in our concrete slab during construction— but as the budget kept expanding, those dreams evaporated quickly. Relying solely on Mother Nature is a lot cheaper, but also makes for a very short but special outdoor rink season here in Powell River.
Matt McDowell
Latest posts by Matt McDowell (see all)
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- Night Skiing Powtown: Once In a Lifetime? - February 12, 2017
- [VIDEO] Skating on Cranberry Lake for the 1st time in 20 years! - January 18, 2017