The aging chiller and the rink’s canopy will be replaced; opening day is set for Nov. 23

By Damian Mann for Ashland.news

Ashland’s popular ice rink will get a new chiller and a new canopy next season to replace aging equipment that is in danger of failing.

Repairs for the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink at 95 Winburn Way, across the street from Lithia Park, are estimated to cost about $300,000.

“The plans are to replace the chiller by the end of the season,” said Rocky Houston, Ashland Parks & Recreation director.

Hoping to open Nov. 23

In the meantime, the goal is to open the ice rink by Nov. 23 and to close it after Presidents Day, Feb. 17, depending on weather.

Houston said some routine maintenance work on the chiller will hopefully keep it running through the season.

A chiller works similar to a refrigerator, and the Ashland ice rink’s chiller is the original one from when the rink opened in 1996.

“It’s definitely lived its life,” said Lonny Flora, Ashland recreation manager.

The chiller works by pumping subzero, food-grade glycol through tubes in the concrete on which the rink is set up. When the rink is erected for the season, white butcher paper is laid over the concrete to reflect UV light, and then a layer of up to 3 inches of ice is formed on top of it.

Flora said the 28-year-old chiller has definitely held up well but is showing its age, and if one of the components were to fail, it could end the season abruptly. “At any point in time, it could have a critical failure,” he said.

Recent tests on the chiller indicate it is still holding good pressure, Flora said.

The tubes under the concrete, a surface used for parking during the rest of the year, appear to be in good shape, though it could be subject to cracking if a big truck drove over it, Flora said.

Increasing temperatures during winter months are also problematic for the ice rink.

Flora said the Thanksgiving opening is one of the most challenging times because temperatures can still be high enough to make it difficult to make ice.

Typically, air temperatures of less than 53 degrees are ideal for the ice rink. By late February, temperatures typically have risen enough that it becomes more and more difficult keep the ice solid.

Wind and humidity also can have an effect on the ice, Flora said.

Canopy needs replacing

The white canopy, installed for the first time in 2013, has also outlived its life, he said.

A construction crew from Portland comes down each year to erect the aluminum beams and reinstall the canopy.

But because of wear and tear on the canopy, it has become increasingly finicky and time-consuming to install, Flora said.

“They’re spending an entire day inching the fabric through grooves,” he said.

The previous canopy was destroyed in a windstorm when an oak tree fell on it.

Canopies help prevent debris from blowing onto the ice, which can adversely affect skating conditions.

The annual budget for material and equipment for the rink is $54,000, of which the canopy installation represents the lion’s share. Other expenses for temporary staffing for the season amounted to an estimated $104,000 last season.

Visitation has declined

Attendance is difficult to determine since the ice rink features times for free skating for those who bring their own skates. Also, there are parents who don’t skate but watch their kids. After COVID arrived, attendance was solid, but it has since been on the decline.

“According to what I see, it has dipped down,” Flora said.

In the 2021-22 season, the rink saw about 21,021 visitors.

But, in 2022-23, the estimated visitor count dropped to 15,863, and in 2023-24, it fell to 14,778.

Houston, who just started his job as parks and recreation director, said long-term plans call for a more permanent structure over the ice rink, though that’s not in the parks budget yet. He said a permanent structure would help save the annual costs of reinstalling the canopy.

Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at dmannnews@gmail.com.