Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1543763
ALBERTLEAMINNESOTA-BASED RINKSYSTEMSafamilyownedand operatedbusinessformorethanyears isaleaderinthedasherboardsystem industryWhilethecompanyservesclients acrossthecountrytheRinkSystemsteam takesextraprideinservingprogramsand organizationsintheStateofHockey Sowhentheopportunityarisesto bringtwoMinnesotahockeycom- munitiestogethertogivepreviously usedboardsnewlifeinanotherfacility throughtheprocessofrepurposingit's anabsoluteno-brainerthatprovidesa varietyofbenefitsforallinvolvedIt's likekeepingabelovedartifactorpieceof hockeyhistoryintheMinnesotafamily forfuturegenerations "Whenwecompleteprojectsthat requireolderboardsystemstobe replacedwetrytofindthemanew home"saidRinkSystemsPresident StaceyOvergaard"It'salwaysneattosee themgotoanotherMinnesotaprogramI thinkit'sappreciatedmore" ThispastyearthecityofRochester Minnembarkedonamajorrenovationto itsRochesterRecreationCenterPlanned improvementstotheicerinkincludedthe installationofnewboardsglassandnet- tinglockercubbiesalongwithpreviously upgradedplayerbenchespenaltyboxes andascorekeepingtableFacilityleaders didn'thavetolookveryfartofindtheright boardsandcomponentstofitthejob RinkSystemshadjustrecentlysup- pliedandinstalledthedasherboard systemattheUniversityofMinnesota's RidderArenahomeoftheGolden Gopherswomen'shockeyteamWhen theRecCenterteamfoundouttheold boardswereavailableandinsolidcondi- tiontheyjumpedatthechancetobring themtoRochester Whilethetworinkblueprintsweren't configuredinpreciselythesameway–the radiusinthecornersweredifferentdoors weren'tinthesameplaceetc–theRink Systemsteamcreatedandexecutedona plantopullthevariouscomponentsapart refaceandrepairasnecessaryandthen rearrangethemlikeassemblingapuzzle togetthemtofitinthenewspace "Wewereabletomovethingsaround andmakeitlooklikenothinggot changedandjustgotdroppedrightin" saidOvergaard Inadditiontothepracticaland"cool" factortheGophers'boardsbroughtto Rochestertheyalsodeliveredsignificant costsavings(Overgaardestimatesclose to)Ingeneralbecauseboardscan beoneofthebiggestcapitalexpensesin arinkpurchasingusedinsteadofnew canenableacommunitytoaffordboards thatwereoriginallyfromapro-levelor high-endfacilityorfreeupbudgetfor otherupgrades "Rinkmanagerssometimesdon'tunder- standthatthiscanbeanoptionforthem andalotoftimesarelookingatgetting newboards"saidOvergaard"Butifthe frameworkandstructureoftheboards areintactandsolidyoucanmakethe oldlookalmostbrandnewOftentimes bycleaningthesurfaceremovingpuck marksfromtheoutershellandreplacing someofthehardwareintheendyoucan getaprojectthatlooksverygoodfora muchlowercost" Reusingdasherboardscanalsomake apositiveimpactontheenvironmentas ithelpskeepahugeamountofmaterial outoflandfillsIt'srecyclingonabig scale–thinksteelaluminumhighdensity polyethyleneplasticpanelsandmore–all gettingasecondlife "Peoplewanttodiscardthingsalittle tooearlywhichisashame"said Overgaard"Alotoftimesthere'salot morelifeleftinthesematerialsthanpeo- pleunderstandandtheymakedecisions basedonhowtheylookontheoutside Buyingusedboardscanmakeabigdiffer- enceTherearesomanybenefits" From Ridder to Rochester, Rink Systems keeps used boards in the Minnesota hockey community All in the Family X'S AND O'S | By Steve Mann Goals & Assists Goals & Assists Photos / Rochester Recreation Center M H J O N L I N E . C O M | MARCH 2 0 2 6 08 The Rochester Recreation Center worked tirelessly in preparation for the 2026 World Junior Championship Pre-Tournament Series, which hosted Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in late December.