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In efforts to flood Waterman Park for ice skating we have discovered that the area to be flood will not hold water. It will freeze a thin layer of ice on the surface which gives you a false impression of ice being formed. You will see ice on top while under the ice the water has drained out. It has been approximately 20 years since this area has been flooded for skating and the reason for stopping then was the same as now.
Talking with the PW crew about the Maywood Park area I have been informed that this area is not level so when you try to flood it one end has to be almost a foot deep to get the water to start covering the rest of the area. The problem is when the water gets that deep it runs over the top of the berm and you’re just wasting water. Also this area is over a blacktop surface which, when the sun come out it warms the blacktop and melts the ice.
As for the lagoon in Winnequah Park, this week the PW crew cleared the snow off the ice. There was only a small of snow cover ( ½ - 1” ) on the ice because we recently had a thaw. This took two crew members approximately 4 hours to do and that was not the entire area. Some of the lagoon could not be cleared because of thin ice. The area that was cleared has 10 inch thick ice. After clearing the snow the PW crew started flooding the lagoon with the jet rodder and had to quit when the water pump went out on the truck which pumps the water out. About half of the area was flooded. At this time we are waiting for a new water pump for the truck.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Monona Ice Skating Update
An ice skating update from Mark Modaff, Monona's Assistant Director of Public Works:
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Thanks for the update! The park's work is appreciated, especially since it doesn't seem to stop snowing around here.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you can build a rink on bare ground. You either have to line a rink (like with plastic) and use boards or use snow. If trying to do it without a liner, you gotta use the snow for a berm and also a base layer. Then you carefully soak the snow until it freezes hard. Then you start building the skating layer. slowly. It takes time and cooperation with the weather to do it right. Where I grew up, the Dads always made a rink in the backyards. I think they lined part of it and also used snow underneath it depending on weather conditions. A rink takes a lot of time and effort to build and maintain. I don't think we have enough staff to do a rink at Waterman without volunteer help.
ReplyDeleteWhile I appreciate the efforts of the staff, I have also asked for them to come up with a plan of hwo we are going to provide a skating area.
ReplyDelete