SMALL [BIG] TOWN EXCITEMENT...
Not ours...
The big town south of us, had their 55 yr old skating rink burn to the ground!
To another small town this is devastating news!
It hits home here that it could have been ours...
Small towns depend on their skating/curling rinks in the winter...
It's a place where parents/grand parents can sit in the cold [most of the wood structures aren't heated] for a couple of hours [frozen butt], bitch about the cold to others and still go home happy cause your team won!
It was a toss-up on what was better...visiting or the game?
I miss that time spent in the arena here and the one down south, while BillyRoo played minor hockey. PoD even did a stint as a figure skater in ours. I seldom missed a game [didn't go to all the away ones] or skating practice. Grumbled a lot but still liked the "getting out" part...:)
My grand kids don't do winter sports, so I rarely go to the rink now a days. I do support minor hockey by donations and getting a rink burger/fries...which by the way taste the best [I'm not a burger person].
The last time I remember being there was to see the circus a few years ago.
I even saw the signs that I had done...still on the walls. In good shape for being over 10 years old...on wood
The rink that burned down on Friday was a death trap just waiting to happen, as far as I was concerned! Sure, it had lots of memories and all good ones for our family but as the years progressed I noticed the building's decline.
I love architecture and these old building are amazing with their arched ceilings! This one was built very good but wood doesn't last and fire was inevitable. I'm happy there wasn't anything going on at the time. Reports say it might be renovation accident...no one was hurt.
One of the things about the southern rink I hated, was it's dressing room location for the hockey players. They had to climb [a very vertical climb] a bunch of stairs to the dressing rooms. The scary part was watching the players come down those steep steps wearing full gear while wearing skates! BillyRoo tended goal! I always had to look away with fingers crossed!
Thin rounded blades on narrow steps...every parents nightmare!
It's the loss of the "ice" season that hurts the kids the most. Ice sports will still continue, only it has to be over longer distances on wintery roads! Many depend on this time to showcase their talents...so It's very important!
I've read that part of the structure was storage to a lot of equipment for the sports held there. I also remember the foyer as being a trophy/award showcase area. That's all gone...
It was sad to see it go but maybe for that town's 100th celebration this year, the new rink will make it a new and SAFER environment for all...
One thing about small towns I love...
it's ability to stand together through tough times!
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