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careful planning, and this project was no exception. The first step is to prepare for the future well in advance through the aforementioned capital improvement planning. Have the funds prepared ahead of time and be realistic about timelines. Dual-layered products tend to have lead times if the manufacturer does not have product on the shelf. We phased the project starting in one rink and four locker rooms, and we also performed some ice maintenance and other improvements during the installation. By the time the second rink was started, we were back in service. We felt the best application for our facility was to continue with a dual-layered product in our lobby and rink perimeter areas. For our rink, we chose the color "putty" for these areas. The dual-layered products cost significantly more than the traditional-looking black and black-with-flecks products, but we thought it best to have these products in our high-exposure areas. We were able to save some money by using a product with fleck in the locker rooms and corresponding areas. The product and color selections are an extremely important part of this process, as this is what our customers will see on a daily basis and what we as the end user will maintain long into the future. Equally as important as the product and colors is the schedule. Our process from capital improvement discussions to installation was well over five years. The actual product selection and scheduling aspect was a two-year process. Our marketplace does not facilitate an environment for extended shutdown periods. Ideally, we would have preferred to shut things down for 3-4 weeks to replace the floors, work on our ice and perform other yearly maintenance that rinks in other regions conduct during these time periods. We knew long in advance that we would have to stay operational through the duration of the project. Our customer base, including figure skaters, adult and youth hockey players, public skaters and private users, all stayed on schedule. The installation crew and my staff were all on the same page to minimize any inconvenience to our customer base. Ice arenas require a lot of work and expensive equipment. The flooring is equally as important as the refrigeration and dasher boards for a successful building. We are happy that we have completed the renovations on the flooring and look forward to the 2014-15 season with a whole new look. J For the past five years, Alec Hines has been the general manager of Edge Ice Arena in Littleton, Colo. Hines has been a STAR member since 2009 and earned his CIRM in 2014. Steve Carlson has a field office for Becker Arena Products in Broomfield, Colo. He has been the sales representative for Becker Arena Products for the western U.S. for the last six years. , The facility was able to save money by using a product with fleck in the locker rooms. 30 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2014 RINKMAGAZINE.COM , Flooring is just as important as a facility's refrigeration. , Continued from page 29 PHOTOS: COURTESY OF EDGE ICE ARENA Renovations Rubber