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50 / MARCH.APRIL.2018 USICERINKS.COM by PAUL THIBERT WANT TO REALLY CAPITALIZE OFF THE 2018 WINTER GAMES? With a Team USA gold-medal win in Pyeongchang back in February, the curling hype has never been higher. Maybe you already offer the up-and- coming sport, or maybe you're just beginning to consider it. Whichever side of the ice you're on, there are a few things you might want to familiarize yourself with before throwing the rock into the curling circle. At our facility, Edora Pool Ice Center (EPIC) in Fort Collins, Colorado, curling is a new venture we've recently taken on. EPIC houses two sheets of ice and a natatorium, and curling is a new and growing sport at our venue. With new comes plenty of different hurdles and questions—the first noticed by our staff regarding temperatures. Sure, ice and facility temperatures are always a top priority for every arena, but with curling, our staff members recognized the issue of curling stone temperatures. If the temperature of curling stones is not properly maintained, it results in ice melting issues while in use. Tasked with finding a solution, EPIC staff quickly developed an innovative solution that adequately maintains the temperature of curling stones without increasing energy costs at our facility. In addition to keeping the temperature even-keeled, EPIC's staff members were frequently moving 64 curling stones back and forth from the storage crate to the ice. This process was strenuous, tedious and did not allow the curling stones to reach their optimal temperature. Recognizing these issues, staff began to consider a new process that could increase efficiency, improve quality and decrease the opportunity for injury. EPIC staff converted the unused space along the side of the rink into a temperature controlled ice slab. They added a gate for easy ice access to the curling stones and their stones found a new home—a very cold new home. EPIC's rinks are sand based (indirect system) rinks and, like many other facilities, there is a header system at each end of the rink. By tapping into the end of this header, it allowed the creation of a separate ice slab three-feet wide by 30-feet long. The small size of the new ice slab does not require additional energy, an important result for the sustainably- focused City of Fort Collins. To conveniently access the curling stones, a new panel with a 30-inch gate was installed. This feature has improved efficiency while reducing the risk of injury. EPIC staff installed a security gate around the perimeter of the new ice slab to keep unauthorized people out of the area. So, how can you build your own curling stone ice slab? The curling stone box construction was simple: • 2" x 8" enclosure • 1.5' air gap • Plywood • Insulation • Plastic sheeting • Raised tubing • Sand (not necessary) The access gate was raised nine inches off the floor to clear the 2"x 8" frame. Future plans for the ice slab include adding a 2"x 4" perimeter with a rubber bumper around the box interior. This "bumper" will provide some protection for the curling stones as they are loaded into the storage area. The entire project took just two days and costs the recreation department approximately $10,000. The construction did not interrupt any ice activities or programs. This innovative solution has increased the efficiency of the ice staff, improved the quality of the curling program and reduced the risk of injury to staff members. If you have issues with the temperature of your curling stones and have some underutilized space near your rink, you make want to consider keeping your stones on ice. J Paul Thibert is the recreation and ice supervisor at Edora Ice Pool Center (EPIC) in Fort Collins, Colo. Stone Cold How to maintain the temperature of your curling stones HOW To Maintain curling stones IF THE TEMPERATURE OF CURLING STONES IS NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED, IT RESULTS IN ICE MELTING ISSUES WHILE IN USE. , The dead- space area , Boxed; no gate yet , Tubing installed , Final storage area